California Apparel News

New models for selling clothes online have been few and far between this year. The story has mostly been about refinement and consolidation. The majors—notably Sears, Roebuck and Co., J.C. Penney Co. Inc. and Macy’s—have tuned their e-commerce efforts toward better integration with their bricks-andmortar stores, and the “pure players”—such as Alloy Inc., International Male and Big Dogs— have expanded their online endeavors with more effective marketing strategies and better site design and functionality. Meanwhile, the huge e-commerce vortices—eBay Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Yahoo! Inc.—have continued to evolve.

So when a whole new kind of style-conscious fashion/apparel site arrives on the scene, we get excited.

TopButton.com has just expanded its operations from New York to Los Angeles. Its concept is simple: Savvy shoppers register online for alerts about various sales, from sample sales to exclusive online offers. Subscribers also receive e-mails up to four times per week detailing private sale and event information. To date, the site claims 300,000 subscribers.

New York labels and retailers who have turned to TopButton include Ben Sherman, Diane Von Furstenberg, Dolce & Gabbana, Sean John and the Museum of Modern Art. In Los Angeles, the site recently featured hipster-designer James Perse’s casual, comfortable styles and did a special promotion of Los Angeles Fashion Week’s designer sample sale at the Nov. 7 Sew Down event. The site also includes information about in-store happenings, which often feature deeply discounted end-of-season inventory.

The healthy number of online apparel companies listed at TopButton includes Label Los Angeles, offering hip Los Angeles designer wares (and currently offering 20 percent discounts to those clicking through from the company’s banner at TopButton); Overstock.com’s cashmere shop, offering an 80 percent discount off retail prices; and CityModa’s and Brooks Brothers’ online clearance stores. Plus, there is a bargain area in development that will feature items from such sources as Esprit and Elliott Lucca.

TopButton was conceived as a media outlet, not just a store. The site features “customized sales hellip; that generate the greatest appeal and response from a fashionista audience,” according to founder Michael Feldman. “Top Button’s mandate is to serve the fashion and design community by delivering a highly receptive, fashion-forward target group that is ready to shop,” he added. Because the service targets savvy shoppers, it is a perfect adjunct to other marketing efforts by any retailer, with or without a Web site, large or small, located on a side street or in a mall.

Last but not least, the site looks alive, cool and trendy and is well balanced with clever, cartoony icons that communicate the fun and excitement that should be a part of any shopping experience.

TopButton’s contribution to the apparel retailing community is the art of creating and promoting the local event via the Internet. The unique synergy that has been crafted here is as expansive as the World Wide Web and yet is ultimately as intimate as a private art gallery opening.

Site Review: Sun Walters Inc.

Former California Apparel News Fashion Editor Stephanie Wolf is among the talented individuals who have come together to create a great new “pure-play” online retail store and fashion nexus. In her current “How to Wear It” column on www.sunwalters.com, Wolf offers seasonal advice regarding the “Rock Meets Boho” theme: “When the nonconformity of the musician meets the freethinking vibe of the artist-hippie, trends that savvy street fashion-philes love are bound to emerge! hellip; Boho is a mixed up nod to all things eclectic. Off-colors, loose fits and ’vintage’ inspired style all fit the bill.”

As the site’s official stylist and editor, Wolf molds a strong, yet manageably sized online store offering women’s separates and accessories. The looks—from labels including Free People, Made, Candy Apple, Dollhouse and Hat Attack—are neither mainstream nor moderate.

The site, well designed by Hollywood Web vet George Shaw’s Divine Penguin studio, goes far to direct consumers through a somewhat irreverent and uniquely eclectic fashion vision. As the “About Us” page says: “In the name of pure-hearted and fun-spirited individuality, we have set out to mix it up and see what happens!”