JACKSON, MISS. – Kalalou has introduced a short women’s apparel line for retailers looking for a way to diversify their gift and décor assortments.
The collection, called LaLou, includes simple slip and wrap dresses, tops, skirts, loose fitting pants and rick-rack trimmed pajama sets in a neutral, earthy palette of terracotta, slate, mauve, cream and olive. The pieces are made in India of a cotton/linen blend, and one size fits most. Retailers only need to commit to three garment pieces.
The apparel collection, which debuted in Dallas last month, is a chance for retailers to tip their toe in the water of the apparel category without a massive footprint or investment, said Josh McKay, vice president of sales.
“We just want you to be better prepared for whatever the economy throws at us,” he said.
The apparel was showcased in a showroom totally revamped from the prior market — all the interior walls were taken down, and it was repainted and re-assorted with fresh merchandise; the color palette throughout the showroom was reflected in a large banner in the front window that proclaimed, “No surcharge, no price increase, no worries.”
The message was meant to underscore its partnership with the independent retail base it serves, said McKay.
“We know this will be a low-margin market for us,” he said in Dallas. “But am I protecting may margins, or my relationships?”
When asked to measure the mood of retailers coming through the Dallas showroom last month, McKay divided them into three groups.
The first is those who are “sheepishly quiet,” said McKay. These are the ones who want to say, “We’re killing it.”
The second group is straightforward. These are the retailers willing to admit, “We’re getting killed.”
The third group is what McKay termed the polite customer. These are the buyers who say “We’re ok,” when asked, the ones who probably wish things were better but are not comfortable saying so.
“I think that’s where most people are,” McKay said.
