Pre-Fall Fashion Retail Report đ
Pre-Fall Fashion Retail Report đ
Madison Ave is back, Miu Miu stays booming, and coffee and streetwear go hand in hand.
In Todayâs Newsletterâ
Miu Miu Continues to Dominate
Madison Ave Retail is Back!
Fashion Retailers Love Making Lattes
On my walk to the gym this morning I felt something I hadnât in a long time: a slightly cold breeze. It smelled like trash but nonetheless still was the earliest hint of the arrival of NYCâs best season: Fall.
While Labor Day hasnât passed yet, I canât help but look into my closet and yearn to wear hoodies, coats, and sweaters. Now that layering is just around the corner, I wanted to roundup some fashion retail news from across the business.
Weâll call this the pre-pre-Fall Retail roundup.
The Hottest Brand in the World: Miu Miu
According to Lystâs quartelry ranking of the hottest fashion brands, Miu Miu continues to dominate the conversation. Search volume for the âPradaâs little sisterâ increased 8% this past quarter.
As most luxury brands have faltered amidst shifting consumer appetites, Miu Miu has increased sales by 93% YoY, hitting nearly half a billion dollars at the halfway point of the year.
Its not just coquette miniskirts and ballet flats that are driving sales, searches from male shoppers increased a staggering 88%
Part of the brandâs success is attributable to its inclusive perceptionâ literally everyone is wearing Miu Miu (whether on the runway or just Instagram) from FKA Twigs, Chloe Sevigny, Sydney Sweeney, Mia Goth, and Hailey Bieber.
Their on-trend New Balance collaboration also helped expand their footwear presence and is riding the current wave of low-to-no profile, slim footwear.
Is Miu Miu going to slow down this Fall? Absolutely f*cking not. They own the moment right now. And their signature off kilter, preppy aesthetic is made for chiller weather.
Madison Ave Retail is Back!
SoHo has become Gen Zâs Times Square, and as a result, shopping there can be nightmarish.
But if youâre looking for a slower pace and more refined service, simply stroll uptown to Madison Ave.
Retail vacancies have dropped to 12.3%, after hitting a depressing high of nearly 40% in 2021.
Business of Fashion reports that after rents peaked in the 2010s, e-commerce and the pandemic cratered the market, leaving nearly half of the storefronts vacant.
But, this has allowed existing luxury brands and contemporary players to stake claim on one of NYCâs most iconic streets: Khaite, Officine GĂŠnĂŠrale, and Toteme all plan to open stores soon.
More affluent, older shoppers on the Upper East Side expect more personalized, attentive service from these retailers, and develop increased loyalty.
The idea is to cater to these clients and increase lifetime value and average order volume.
One retail manager said, âUptown, clients want two people catering to them, they want attention.â
Calmly strolling Madison Ave on a crispy Fall weekend, stepping into park, maybe visiting the Met, and ending with burgers and martinis at JG Melon? Literally perfection. I donât care what all my Brooklyn friends say, the Upper East Side is one of the best neighborhoods, and Iâll miss it dearly when I move to Williamsburg this month. (Idk when Iâm moving, I just have two apartments right now)
just wrote a newsletter on what Upper East Siderâs are wearing right now you should go read.
Coffee and Clothing Continue to Go Hand-in-Hand
Earlier this Summer, I wrote about the increasingly intertwined nature of coffee and streetwear.
TLDR: every new clothing retailer seems to sell coffee, matcha, and other assorted drinks now.
Part of this strategy has its roots in the iconic Ralphâs across from the flagship Ralph Lauren storeâ and weâve seen it replicated by Aime Leon Dore, Colbo, Carhartt, Fugazi, etc.
These brands want to increase foot traffic, build âcommunityâ, and get people to linger and shop, so offering coffee (a low barrier entry product than can serve as an expression of the brand) is a no brainer.
The next iteration comes in the form of coffee and athletic brands.
And just this past weekend I visited the new Bandit running store in the West Village.
The store is decorated with all of your favorite Instagram explore page furniture: Togos, JBL 4315 Studio Monitors, etc. and features a coffee shop.
I got a blueberry matcha and sat for awhile and it was really nice.
Ultimately, coffee and retail clothingâs love affair is going to continue this Fall.
What are you interested in seeing from fashion this Fall?
Are you excited to start layering again?
Let me know in the comments.
Fallâs hottest new accessory is dropping soonâŚ
Jake Bell is a content marketing, creative strategist, designer, and writer based in NYC. He specializes in brand building, content strategy, creative direction, business development, and making things cool.
Want to chat? Email me: jake@jb.studio
Coffee shops + retail is such a good idea and I'm not sure why more retailers don't do it. It was great for bookstores, as it gave them another source of revenue and increases foot traffic dramatically. Hopefully we see more of it! The new J.Crew on Bond has a Jack's Coffee inside
kind of think we should host a party together on the UES...I know a spot