Department stores ramp up for fall with trendier, fast fashion' choices

When Georgia Dixon's mom suggested they go to Macy's for school clothes, the 16-year-old didn't see the point.

"Usually when I think of Macy's, I think of where my mother goes to shop," said Georgia, whose family lives part-time in Coconut Grove, Fla. "I would never go to shop here."

But Georgia and her mom, Anna Dixon, were amazed Wednesday when they stumbled on the new Material Girl collection - designed by Madonna and her daughter Lourdes - at Macy's.

For Macy's it's a way to attract new customers like Georgia Dixon and take customers from specialty stores.

It's also part of a broader move by Macy's, JCPenney and other department store chains to jumpstart sluggish apparel sales by countering the stereotype of the conservative department store.

"The consumer is telling us that she is interested in staying on top of the latest fashion trends," said Martine Reardon, executive vice president of marketing for Macy's. "She wants more newness on a more frequent basis than she has seen in the past."

These "fast-fashion" brands hope to attract new customers with a rapidly rotating inventory that changes in a matter of weeks, unlike months for typical department store apparel. It's a strategy that has been the mainstay of specialty stores like H&M, Forever 21 and Zara.

JCPenney is borrowing a page from that model more closely by teaming up with the Spanish specialty retailer Mango, already a worldwide fast-fashion player, to launch an exclusive contemporary line MNG by Mango.

"Department stores need to bring in names that draw younger consumers," said Cynthia Cohen of Strategic Mindshare, a national retail consultant based in Miami. "Fast fashion is a reason to buy versus shopping in your closet."

Georgia and Anna Dixon found plenty of reasons to buy Wednesday afternoon at Macy's in Dadeland, Fla., loading up on a dozen or more outfits. It was a question of deciding what NOT to buy.

The Material Girl line incorporates the sense of eclectic style that has always been the pop singer's trademark.

It's perfect for Georgia because she can mix and match her own style with key pieces like a black tulle mini-skirt, a rose printed tank dress and red plaid tuxedo jacket. She found it every bit as hip as her favorite shopping haunts: Forever 21 and Topshop in England, where she goes to school.

Mom couldn't get over the prices, between $12 and $40 for most pieces. She also liked the fact that the outfits were designed to fit teenage girls and not look like they were dressing up in something way too old for them.

"These are fabulous," Anna Dixon said. "They are the right size for the girls that want to wear these clothes. You can make outfits and you can afford it."

In addition to this month's launch of Material Girl, Macy's has focused on designing its own fast-fashion brands with celebrity endorsements from Kimora Lee Simmons and Jessica Simpson. The core customer is between 16 and 22, although the lines have been attracting interest from women up to 40 and beyond.