California Apparel News

For several years now, an odd little multi–Web site networking community built around a protocol called the “Webring” has continued to thrive quietly online. Mostly noncommercial, Webrings serve to cultivate traffic by attracting and directing like-minded audiences to sites they might not otherwise have known—even via search engines. Each site links to the next, eventually returning visitors to the original site (called “the hub”).

A passel of fashion-oriented Webrings focuses on a variety of special interests, from designers and labels to undergarments. WebRing Inc., at www.webring.com, is one portal offering membership to this vast underground world. The site lists 181 fashion rings in its registry. Yahoo’s huge GeoCities do-it-yourself personal Web site division, meanwhile, boasts 1,162 fashion-related member sites. And that would only be the tip of the Internet iceberg.

Most Webring systems, powered by readily available specialized software or Web server CGI (common gateway interface) scripts, list all sites within the hub. Such directories frequently include a description of each site and a direct link that allows visitors to bypass the ring and just go to a particular site.

Adding traffic—particularly relevant, targeted traffic—to a merchant’s Web site is the most obvious business value of Webrings. In addition, some rings include detailed traffic reports. For example, visitors can note that Nelda’s Vintage Clothing (www.neldasvintageclothing.com) ranked highest in the WebRing’s vintage clothing segment during the past two-week reporting period, with 248 click-throughs. While that’s not a huge number, when you consider that the advertising cost was nothing and those 248 (likely new) visitors probably have a good degree of interest in the site’s theme, you have a nice traffic augmenter.

One of the most active and growing fashion Webring communities is built around the fascination with retro and retro-inspired clothing. The Vintage Clothing Webring, www.webring.com/hub?ring=vintageclothing, currently comprises 78 active sites. Participating stores include San Antonio–based Nelda’s Vintage Clothing, Huntington Beach, Calif.–based Retro Kitty Kat (www.retrokittykat.com), Seattle–based Vintage Chick (www.vintagechick.com), Canoga Park, Calif.–based Posh Girl Vintage (www.poshgirlvintage.com) and eBay reseller Nuclear Wardrobe (www.nuclearwardrobe.com).

One of the better conceptually and graphically designed Webring systems is The Rail (www.therail.com), where each “train” along the “tracks” is a thematic “stop,” or Webring, to be explored. “The Streetcar” is a ring of online stores and malls (many selling apparel and accessories) that sends “passengers” to the member sites. All a site owner needs to do, as with any Webring, is install and maintain The Rail’s chunk of HTML code on its home page. Stores enjoy additional visitors while participating in a collective of like-minded sites appealing to a particular audience.

Webrings will undoubtedly continue to grow, though in their own grass-roots style. Teens appear to be among the most active participants, which creates a golden opportunity for the small specialty retailer or designer interested in capturing this audience. And because the quality of sites in any given Webring runs the gamut, the opportunity is even greater for those with well-designed sites.

Site Review: Posh Girl Rocks

Posh Girl Vintage, at www.poshgirlvintage.com, is a well-organized site with offerings in dresses, tops, bottoms, coats/jackets, suits/sets, lingerie, handbags, shoes, accessories, bridal, baby, home deacute;cor and men’s categories.

Brigitte Daguerre manages the site with other family members. “I’ve been a vintage freak since I was 13. I’ve also worked in photo studios and in the film industry for some time, as well as being a model for David Perry and Olivia De Berardinis. I’m a member of the Vintage Fashion Guild and other costume societies,” states Daguerre on the site. The site also features a regularly updated blog for the collecting, care of and restoration of vintage clothing and lingerie as well as stories about vintage garments.

The company’s collection is beautifully photographed and well described. Yet trying to make a purchase is, well, retro. There’s no shopping cart or method of direct purchase. While PayPal is an option, the site asks the customer to first send an e-mail and then wait for an invoice that can be paid via return e-mail or regular mail. To us, that’s an invitation to lose customers, but the process could be rectified easily.