pdf

SECTIONS
W
MEN'S
HGI6L43M
WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY 08.06.2014
RETAIL / BUSINESS
FASHION
CAREERS
CLASSIFIEDS
SUBSCRIBE
LIFESTYLE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
TUMBLR
LINKED
PINTEREST
GOOGLE+
INSTAGRAM
RSS
DESIGNER / LUXURY
SPORTSWEAR
CLOTHING / FURNISHINGS
IN
YOUNG MEN'S
wwd menswear news
H
retail business
August 6, 2014
G
facebook
tw itter
4
z
google +
TODAY’S PAPER VIEW/ DOWNLOAD
JUST IN
Ryan Seacrest, Macy's Collaborate on
Men's Wear
MOODY'S: LEASE EXPIRATIONS TO FREE UP CASH
MORE
LATESTMEN'S ARTICLES
from WWD issue 08/06/2014 DOWNLOAD PDF
By Jean E. Palmieri
LOG IN
FASHION SCOOPS
Hermès Launches Tie Break
App
GOVERNMENT AND TRADE
Bangladesh Lost Wages Protests
Intensify
FINANCIAL
Wall Street Wary of
Coach's Q4 Results
VIEW SLIDESHOW
An ad for the Ryan Seacrest Distinction line at Macy's.
A- A
A+
PRINT
Photo By Courtesy of Macy's
GOVERNMENT AND TRADE
Macy's believes Ryan Seacrest moves the
needle when it comes to mainstream
fashion.
Africa Summit
Stresses Commercial
Appeal
That’s the reason the department store is
throwing its marketing muscle behind the
September launch of Ryan Seacrest
Distinction, a new exclusive collection of
tailored clothing and furnishings
spearheaded by Randa Accessories and
including product from Peerless Clothing
and PVH.
“He’s always been a trend validator,
especially for young guys,” said Durand
Guion, vice president and men’s fashion
director for Macy’s Inc. When Seacrest
embraced slim suits, skinny ties, tie bars
and pocket squares, business in those
categories started to grow. “We definitely
saw a sales bump, especially in the
FINANCIAL
Target Expects $148M in Breach Costs
MARKETING AND CONSUMER
BEHAVIOR
B-t-s: Brick and
Mortar Wins, But
Discounts Are Key
FINANCIAL
Michael Kors Shares
Decline Despite
They Are Wearing:
Bushwick,
Profit
Gain
VIEW SLIDESHOW
Brooklyn
accessories categories,” Guion said.
A look from the Ryan Seacrest Distinction line at
Macy's.
Richard Carroll, senior vice president and
creative director of Randa, said Seacrest
has nearly 14 million followers on Twitter
and is “very omnipresent” with his duties
as host of “American Idol,” “Dick Clark’s
New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan
Seacrest,” the iHeart Radio Music Festival
and the nationally syndicated morning
radio show “On Air With Ryan Seacrest.”
He also has his own production company,
Ryan Seacrest Productions, that produces
“Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and
its spin-off “Kourtney and Khloé Take the
Hamptons,” and the upcoming drama
series “Shades of Blue,” starring Jennifer
Lopez.
Photo By Courtesy of Macy's
With a jam-packed schedule like that, why
did Seacrest choose to take on fashion as
well when he was approached by Randa?
“I love a great suit,” he told WWD during a
break from his Los Angeles-based radio
broadcast Tuesday morning. “As a
television host for so many years, that’s
what gives me a sense of confidence, style
and identity. I’ve always enjoyed that
moment when I get ready and put on a
suit.
They Are Wearing:
Lollapalooza
They Are Wearing: Super
Saturday, East Hampton,
N.Y.
MORE STREET
MEN'S
MOSTPOPULAR COMMENTED
Streetwear Sees Major Comeback
Ryan Seacrest, Macy's Collaborate on
Men's Wear
Marc Ecko Discusses His Next Act
Michael Bastian Creates Stylish
Smartwatch
VIEW SLIDESHOW
Gieves & Hawkes Expands Wholesale
A look from the Ryan Seacrest Distinction line at
Macy's.
News from WWD
Photo By Courtesy of Macy's
SIGN UP for WWD and FN newsletters to receive
daily headlines, breaking news alerts and weekly
industry wrap-ups.
“Every guy needs a great suit, whether it’s
for a job interview, a first date, whatever.
So I wanted to offer something that gave
guys that sense of optimism and
confidence,” he added. “Something that
was quality and well-designed at an
accessible price.”
Admitting that he was “clearly not” a
designer himself, Seacrest said he worked
closely with Randa, which is producing the
neckwear, tie bars, cuff links, belts and
pocket squares, as well as Peerless, the
tailored clothing licensee, and PVH, which
is producing the shirts, to “articulate what
I like. In the beginning,” he said with a
laugh, he was not conversant in the
vocabulary of the fashion industry. But
now, he’s more comfortable talking about
fabric content, linings and trim. “I’ve
learned and evolved during this process,”
he said, adding that he has been “engaged
at every level.”
While the collection’s styling is fairly
traditional, its aesthetic is young and
modern and designed to appeal to
SUBMIT
Enter your email address
LATESTPUBLICATIONS
VIEW SLIDESHOW
WWD Papers
08/06/2014
WWD Papers
08/05/2014
DOWNLOAD THE PDF
DOWNLOAD THE PDF
READ NOW
READ NOW
A look from the Ryan Seacrest Distinction line at
Macy's.
Photo By Courtesy of Macy's
LATEST RETAIL/BUSINESS ARTICLES
VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS
Millennials, which is a key focus for
Macy’s.
“We don’t need another suit in the store,”
Guion said. “We’ve got every brand and fit
and silhouette.” But tailored clothing is
generally geared to the more mature man,
he said, and this line will “hit the youngest
part of Millennials who need a suit.”
GOVERNMENT AND TRADE
Bangladesh Lost Wages
Protests Intensify
FINANCIAL
Wall Street Wary of
Coach's Q4 Results
GOVERNMENT AND TRADE
Africa Summit Stresses
Commercial Appeal
Ryan Seacrest Distinction will feature 2
1/2-inch wide notch or peak lapels in a
two-button silhouette with flap pockets
MORE ARTICLES BY Jean E. Palmieri
and two side vents, Carroll said. There will
be natural suppression in the waist, and
the flat-front pants will be slim. Cuffs will also be tested. A tuxedo will be offered in a
one-button silhouette with a center vent. The line will be sold as separates with
jackets retailing for $400 and pants for $150. Some styles will also be offered with
vests.
Shirts will be slim fit with a spread collar, a two-button notch cuff and signature
Ryan Seacrest midnight navy contrast thread stitching on the final button. They will
retail for $69.50. The 100 percent silk neckwear will retail for $59.50 and patterns
will include everything from paisleys and plaids to solids and horizontal stripes.
What sets Ryan Seacrest Distinction apart from other tailored clothing offerings is its
color-matching system. Called Style Made Smart, the system matches the four major
suit colors — black, brown, navy and gray — with complementary accessories. Each
item will have a label with corresponding numbers while hangtags will offer pairing
and styling tips.
Seacrest said the idea was derived from the way he organizes his closet. Each suit is
hung next to coordinating shirts and ties, allowing him to quickly grab one, slip it on
and be on his way. “It was born from simplicity, speed and efficiency, and alleviates
mistakes,” he said.
Guion stressed that the Style Made Smart system is merely a suggestion. “You can
either like it or ignore it,” offered David Katz, Randa’s chief marketing officer.
Seacrest said he doesn’t think of himself in terms of celebrity or even a style setter.
Instead, “I know what I like; I have a curiosity and a point of view.”
Part of that can be attributed to his friendship with Burberry chief creative officer
and chief executive officer Christopher Bailey. Seacrest said that over the years, he
has been outfitted by the designer for various red-carpet appearances and Bailey
helped him make a statement with a white dinner jacket he wore at this year’s
Academy Awards. (In fact, Guion said, “A white dinner jacket will be coming” for the
Ryan Seacrest Distinction collection.)
And even though he now has his own collection, Seacrest won’t sever the relationship
with Bailey. “I will definitely wear some of mine and some of his,” he said.
To introduce the line to consumers, Macy’s will employ a marketing strategy that
positions Seacrest as the “curator” rather than the designer or celebrity, said Martine
Reardon, chief marketing officer of the retailer. First up will be a humorous
television commercial featuring Seacrest. He will also appear in print ads and
catalogues and will be the host of “Fashion Rocks,” which will air live on CBS on
Sept. 9. The day before, he will host his radio show from the Herald Square flagship.
The marketing push will continue through the fall, and Seacrest will be front and
center as holiday approaches, as host of the annual Jingle Ball. The brand will also
have its own page on macys.com as well as dedicated e-mails to customers.
In stores, Macy’s will install 150 dedicated shops in the tailored clothing departments
around the country, and the furnishings will be included in those shops as well as in
the classifications areas.
VIEW SLIDESHOW
SUBSCRIBE NOW
H Share this article
G Tweet this article
Comment Now