nytimes
Come August, we will be living in a material world once again.
The clothing line will include, from top, a black dress ($24), a floral skirt ($22) and a studded vest ($58).
Madonna and her 13-year-old daughter, Lourdes, are introducing a line at Macy’s that recalls the leather-and-lace days of the 1980s.
Called, of course, Material Girl, the line is starting with clothing, shoes, jewelry and handbags, and Macy’s plans to add other categories like fragrance next year. Meant for teenagers on a budget, the items are less than $40, on average.
Macy’s is betting that the celebrity endorsement will bring teenagers into stores. Macy’s carries other exclusive celebrity lines, like the Kouture by Kimora juniors line, from Kimora Lee Simmons.
Other department stores do as well: Kohl’s will sell Britney for Candie’s apparel, designed by Britney Spears, starting in July, and Wal-Mart has sold apparel designed by Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers.
Asked how relevant Madonna, 51, was to today’s teenagers, executives at Macy’s said she still resonated. “She has a fashion credibility that is incredibly apparent to anybody,” said Jeff Gennette, chief merchandising officer for Macy’s.
Whether Madonna — or any celebrity for that matter — can turn around weak consumer spending is doubtful. Retail analysts said that celebrity lines could bring in new customers, but fickle teenagers could easily become bored with stars.
“A lot of times, celebrities’ brand equity can wane at the drop of a hat, so making a true long-term investment in a celebrity brand can be a bit risky,” said Kelly Tackett, senior analyst for apparel at the consulting firm Kantar Retail.
The Material Girl line is an effort to compete with so-called fast fashion stores like Forever 21 and H&M.
“The crux behind this line is really to capture some of that business,” said Lanie List, executive vice president for merchandising for the Iconix Brand Group, which is licensing the line to Macy’s. “It really reflected what Macy’s felt like was missing from their floor.”
Forever 21 and its competitors are quick to get trends into stores, turning sketches into clothes in a matter of weeks. Ms. List and Mr. Gennette said that some Material Girl items could be produced in a month.
“There’s going to be a lot of change, a lot of newness,” Mr. Gennette said. “If something doesn’t work, we’ll mark it down quickly and get something else in quickly.”
Nearly all the items so far summon ’80s flashbacks. A $36 pair of Material Girl jeans has zippers at the ankles, and the denim is stonewashed.
There is a punk-style skirt for $22, with black ruffles and pink roses, and a studded vest for $58. And a $24 black dress streaked with white is so short that just about any papa would preach about it.
“It’s a little ‘Desperately Seeking Susan.’ It’s got references from things you’ve seen Madonna wear,” Ms. List said.
Come August, we will be living in a material world once again.
The clothing line will include, from top, a black dress ($24), a floral skirt ($22) and a studded vest ($58).
Madonna and her 13-year-old daughter, Lourdes, are introducing a line at Macy’s that recalls the leather-and-lace days of the 1980s.
Called, of course, Material Girl, the line is starting with clothing, shoes, jewelry and handbags, and Macy’s plans to add other categories like fragrance next year. Meant for teenagers on a budget, the items are less than $40, on average.
Macy’s is betting that the celebrity endorsement will bring teenagers into stores. Macy’s carries other exclusive celebrity lines, like the Kouture by Kimora juniors line, from Kimora Lee Simmons.
Other department stores do as well: Kohl’s will sell Britney for Candie’s apparel, designed by Britney Spears, starting in July, and Wal-Mart has sold apparel designed by Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers.
Asked how relevant Madonna, 51, was to today’s teenagers, executives at Macy’s said she still resonated. “She has a fashion credibility that is incredibly apparent to anybody,” said Jeff Gennette, chief merchandising officer for Macy’s.
Whether Madonna — or any celebrity for that matter — can turn around weak consumer spending is doubtful. Retail analysts said that celebrity lines could bring in new customers, but fickle teenagers could easily become bored with stars.
“A lot of times, celebrities’ brand equity can wane at the drop of a hat, so making a true long-term investment in a celebrity brand can be a bit risky,” said Kelly Tackett, senior analyst for apparel at the consulting firm Kantar Retail.
The Material Girl line is an effort to compete with so-called fast fashion stores like Forever 21 and H&M.
“The crux behind this line is really to capture some of that business,” said Lanie List, executive vice president for merchandising for the Iconix Brand Group, which is licensing the line to Macy’s. “It really reflected what Macy’s felt like was missing from their floor.”
Forever 21 and its competitors are quick to get trends into stores, turning sketches into clothes in a matter of weeks. Ms. List and Mr. Gennette said that some Material Girl items could be produced in a month.
“There’s going to be a lot of change, a lot of newness,” Mr. Gennette said. “If something doesn’t work, we’ll mark it down quickly and get something else in quickly.”
Nearly all the items so far summon ’80s flashbacks. A $36 pair of Material Girl jeans has zippers at the ankles, and the denim is stonewashed.
There is a punk-style skirt for $22, with black ruffles and pink roses, and a studded vest for $58. And a $24 black dress streaked with white is so short that just about any papa would preach about it.
“It’s a little ‘Desperately Seeking Susan.’ It’s got references from things you’ve seen Madonna wear,” Ms. List said.
