Sport coat rebound predicted in '89.

Sport coat rebound predicted in '89

Will 1989 be the year of the return of the sport coat? If specialty store resident buyers read the situation correctly, this recently maligned classification is heading for sunnier days.

And the consensus is that, if and when sport coats hit the best-seller charts again, specialty stores will lead the way. After all, independent retailers are traditionally first to launch a new clothing fashion or a revival.

With specialty stores coming to the clothing market in force during the next two weeks, the possibility of a sport coat revival comes as an extra bit of good news to clothing manufacturers who have relied heavily on suits during the past three or four years.

Nobody is expecting a sport coat landslide -- but smiles have replaced frowns when this item is mentioned.

Some of the blame for sport coats' poor performance, it is felt, has been the lifestyle change that substituted expensive sweaters and leather jackets for both the blazer and the fancy jacket. And adding to the problem has been the fact that fashion developments in the clothing market mostly revolved around suits.

During the period when new sport coat styling practically screeched to a halt, the only sport coat sellers were the so-called item sport coats. But volume was nothing like the good-old days when the classification was king.

Most people feel that the sport coat comeback is cyclical and part of the pendulum swing that generally runs about five years. Suits have become the nuts and bolts of the clothing business, leaving fancy sport coats on the sidelines.

But, retailers add a number of other reasons for a comeback now. These range from lifestyle changes to new excitement in the category.

Emerging for fall is a bridge model for suits as well as sport coats that fills the gap between classic American and Italian models. The new silhouette doesn't go to extremes, but shoulders are broader and sloped. Waists are suppressed and drape is also returning. In the case of suits, there's just as much news on bottom with fuller thighs and tapered legs.

While the fuller silhouette is dressy in suits, it takes on a relaxed character in sport coats and really expresses what weekend sport coats should be -- off-duty wear. The industry is not designing business sport coats, at least for the moment.

Precious fibers continue to make gains in sport coats and for many manufacturers, the camel hairs, cashmere blends, and alpaca or silk blends have literally kept the business alive during the past few years. For fall 1989, the new addition is patterning that makes a strong statement. Jumbo plaids still lead, but in the wings are herringbones in the same over-sized proportions.

With this as the background, what are sport coat prospects at the specialty store level?

Bill Tours, merchandise director, Clothiers Corp., with over 400 member stores, says, "Our accounts sold more fancy sport coats this fall and this sounds very encouraging. They're reporting increases and this hasn't happened for four or five years. Some plaids sold, but the black-and-white story did best."

There are still bugs to work out, he admits, and adds, "Sport coats have been selling at promotional or at better prices. The problem still seems to be in the middle." Still, Tours looks to continued improvement, with the move to easier, fuller silhouettes. His feeling: "One major reason why suit business is so good was the silhouette change.

"Now the market is giving sport coats this same attention to modeling."

Ken Gordon, president, Kreiss-Gordon, with a roster of traditional stores, complains, "Too many in this market were selling sport coats short and this classification turned out to be one of the surprises this past fall season. With a lot of mileage still left this winter, I'm confident that much more can be sold."

Gordon is recommending a ratio of 55 percent suits to 45 percent in sport coats for fall, versus a 35 percent figure last year. He continues, "Even the more basic looks in fancy sport coats, which many stores entirely deleted, performed well. This overreaction is an historical malady.

"Stores turn off the sport coat tap too soon, forgetting about their younger customers who are yet to buy their first fancy sport coat."

Reporting a rising sport coat business at the 200 Hartmarx Specialty Stores is Ray Giuriceo, vice-president and merchandise manager of men's clothing. "We have done extremely well with sport coats and this has been the case for several seasons. Fancy sport coats have carried the growth."

Noting that some parts of the market underplayed this item, he asserts, "We felt the opportunity to grow the business was in fancies and we aggressively pursued that opportunity."

With virtually all of the Hartmarx specialty store fall buying completed as of November, Giuriceo reports that suits were bought on a three-to-two basis to sport coats. He comments, "We do all of our projections in units, and this sport coat figure represents a 5 percent increase." He also notes that the stores have not cut back, based on a dollar formula.

Another resident buyer, Stanley Heller, is taking a more cautious approach to sport coats for next fall, but does indicate that luxury fibers are selling. He comments, "The softness of the hand of camel's hair, cashmere blends and alpaca mixes make for an easy sell."

While fall 1988 sport coat business at the stores he reps approximated a year ago, this fabric story was one of the new developments. So was the strong sell-through for double-breasteds. He adds, "The forward fashion stores are also doing very well with a jacket with a 19 1/2-inch point-to-point shoulder and drape.

"The new wedge shape is the best thing to happen in sport coats in years. My recommendation to my stores is to continue to be very selective and focus on luxury fibers and new fashion models."

There seems to be unanimous agreement on this move to contemporary styling and the need to offer the consumer this latest version of tailored sportswear.

Typically, Tours of Clothiers feels strongly that sweaters and leather blousons have held the spotlight for too long.

Discussing the new emerging silhouette for sport coats, Tours believes, "The consumer wants a fuller, more relaxed coat to wear over a sweater. The important thing is we're finally reacting by concentrating on the fit and silhouette. This fuller, easier model could be mainstream by 1990."

Noting that coats have been fully tailored and will continue to be, he insists, "The fuller silhouette, broader shoulder and drape will be a great help to sport coat business in 1989."

His fall projection calls for 35 percent buy in sport coats, representing a modest change over last year. "Solids and fancy plains will account for 75 percent of the buy with the balance in plaids and windowpanes. This represents the beginning of a developing trend and the way sport coats should be bought."

All of which presents a dramatically different picture from just two years ago.

PHOTO : New modeling combined with patterned fabrics made from precious fibers bring needed

PHOTO : excitement to fall sport coats. This 3-button jacket in an oversized camel hair

PHOTO : herringbone from Pincus Brothers-Maxwell.

Sport coat rebound predicted in '89.

Sport coat rebound predicted in '89

Will 1989 be the year of the return of the sport coat? If specialty store resident buyers read the situation correctly, this recently maligned classification is heading for sunnier days.

And the consensus is that, if and when sport coats hit the best-seller charts again, specialty stores will lead the way. After all, independent retailers are traditionally first to launch a new clothing fashion or a revival.

With specialty stores coming to the clothing market in force during the next two weeks, the possibility of a sport coat revival comes as an extra bit of good news to clothing manufacturers who have relied heavily on suits during the past three or four years.

Nobody is expecting a sport coat landslide -- but smiles have replaced frowns when this item is mentioned.

Some of the blame for sport coats' poor performance, it is felt, has been the lifestyle change that substituted expensive sweaters and leather jackets for both the blazer and the fancy jacket. And adding to the problem has been the fact that fashion developments in the clothing market mostly revolved around suits.

During the period when new sport coat styling practically screeched to a halt, the only sport coat sellers were the so-called item sport coats. But volume was nothing like the good-old days when the classification was king.

Most people feel that the sport coat comeback is cyclical and part of the pendulum swing that generally runs about five years. Suits have become the nuts and bolts of the clothing business, leaving fancy sport coats on the sidelines.

But, retailers add a number of other reasons for a comeback now. These range from lifestyle changes to new excitement in the category.

Emerging for fall is a bridge model for suits as well as sport coats that fills the gap between classic American and Italian models. The new silhouette doesn't go to extremes, but shoulders are broader and sloped. Waists are suppressed and drape is also returning. In the case of suits, there's just as much news on bottom with fuller thighs and tapered legs.

While the fuller silhouette is dressy in suits, it takes on a relaxed character in sport coats and really expresses what weekend sport coats should be -- off-duty wear. The industry is not designing business sport coats, at least for the moment.

Precious fibers continue to make gains in sport coats and for many manufacturers, the camel hairs, cashmere blends, and alpaca or silk blends have literally kept the business alive during the past few years. For fall 1989, the new addition is patterning that makes a strong statement. Jumbo plaids still lead, but in the wings are herringbones in the same over-sized proportions.

With this as the background, what are sport coat prospects at the specialty store level?

Bill Tours, merchandise director, Clothiers Corp., with over 400 member stores, says, "Our accounts sold more fancy sport coats this fall and this sounds very encouraging. They're reporting increases and this hasn't happened for four or five years. Some plaids sold, but the black-and-white story did best."

There are still bugs to work out, he admits, and adds, "Sport coats have been selling at promotional or at better prices. The problem still seems to be in the middle." Still, Tours looks to continued improvement, with the move to easier, fuller silhouettes. His feeling: "One major reason why suit business is so good was the silhouette change.

"Now the market is giving sport coats this same attention to modeling."

Ken Gordon, president, Kreiss-Gordon, with a roster of traditional stores, complains, "Too many in this market were selling sport coats short and this classification turned out to be one of the surprises this past fall season. With a lot of mileage still left this winter, I'm confident that much more can be sold."

Gordon is recommending a ratio of 55 percent suits to 45 percent in sport coats for fall, versus a 35 percent figure last year. He continues, "Even the more basic looks in fancy sport coats, which many stores entirely deleted, performed well. This overreaction is an historical malady.

"Stores turn off the sport coat tap too soon, forgetting about their younger customers who are yet to buy their first fancy sport coat."

Reporting a rising sport coat business at the 200 Hartmarx Specialty Stores is Ray Giuriceo, vice-president and merchandise manager of men's clothing. "We have done extremely well with sport coats and this has been the case for several seasons. Fancy sport coats have carried the growth."

Noting that some parts of the market underplayed this item, he asserts, "We felt the opportunity to grow the business was in fancies and we aggressively pursued that opportunity."

With virtually all of the Hartmarx specialty store fall buying completed as of November, Giuriceo reports that suits were bought on a three-to-two basis to sport coats. He comments, "We do all of our projections in units, and this sport coat figure represents a 5 percent increase." He also notes that the stores have not cut back, based on a dollar formula.

Another resident buyer, Stanley Heller, is taking a more cautious approach to sport coats for next fall, but does indicate that luxury fibers are selling. He comments, "The softness of the hand of camel's hair, cashmere blends and alpaca mixes make for an easy sell."

While fall 1988 sport coat business at the stores he reps approximated a year ago, this fabric story was one of the new developments. So was the strong sell-through for double-breasteds. He adds, "The forward fashion stores are also doing very well with a jacket with a 19 1/2-inch point-to-point shoulder and drape.

"The new wedge shape is the best thing to happen in sport coats in years. My recommendation to my stores is to continue to be very selective and focus on luxury fibers and new fashion models."

There seems to be unanimous agreement on this move to contemporary styling and the need to offer the consumer this latest version of tailored sportswear.

Typically, Tours of Clothiers feels strongly that sweaters and leather blousons have held the spotlight for too long.

Discussing the new emerging silhouette for sport coats, Tours believes, "The consumer wants a fuller, more relaxed coat to wear over a sweater. The important thing is we're finally reacting by concentrating on the fit and silhouette. This fuller, easier model could be mainstream by 1990."

Noting that coats have been fully tailored and will continue to be, he insists, "The fuller silhouette, broader shoulder and drape will be a great help to sport coat business in 1989."

His fall projection calls for 35 percent buy in sport coats, representing a modest change over last year. "Solids and fancy plains will account for 75 percent of the buy with the balance in plaids and windowpanes. This represents the beginning of a developing trend and the way sport coats should be bought."

All of which presents a dramatically different picture from just two years ago.

PHOTO : New modeling combined with patterned fabrics made from precious fibers bring needed

PHOTO : excitement to fall sport coats. This 3-button jacket in an oversized camel hair

PHOTO : herringbone from Pincus Brothers-Maxwell.