Windsor Experiments With New Prototypes
In 2007, “less is more” could be the new rule for Vernon, Calif.–based Windsor Fashions Inc.
Since 1950, the company has manufactured and retailed prom dresses and contemporary looks for a core customer base of women aged 16 to 24. In July, the company will open a prototype store that will feature a smaller square footage compared to the 39-store fleet spread across America that the family-owned company maintains, said Ike Zekaria, co-owner and vice president of the company.
The new store is scheduled to open in the upscale Westfield Topanga shopping center in Canoga Park, Calif., 27 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. It will range from 3,700 to 4,500 square feet. In the past, Windsor stores have been bigger at 5,000 to 8,000 square feet. Zekaria said one of the main reasons for the smaller footprint is to get rid of markdown inventory, which has typically taken up 20 percent of floor space. “The entire store will have a tighter feel without the markdowns. Anything that is old, we’re going to get out of there,” Zekaria said.
He forecast that the new prototype could boost sales between $50 and $100 per square foot. Windsor stores typically earn $350 per square foot. In the future, markdown inventory will be transferred to Windsor’s five outlet stores.
In February 2007, Windsor will experiment with a different store prototype. It will debut a two-store concept at its 5,000-squarefoot location at the Westfield Main Place mall in Santa Ana, Calif. Dresses will be sold in a 2,000-square-foot space. Sportswear and separates will be sold at the adjacent 3,000- square-foot space. Zekaria said that if the arrangement works well, the company would consider rolling out special-occasion boutiques or sportswear boutiques that may operate independently of each other. No deadline has been set for rolling out the prototypes.
On Dec. 19, the company debuted its new e-commerce Web site, www.windsorstore.com. Zekaria forecast the new site will generate 15 percent of the company’s revenue during the peak February-to-May prom season.
—Andrew Asch
