Online fashion sales figures continue to grow

Online clothing sales rise 32% in January (Drapers)
“Online spending rose 19% in January, according to the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, with clothing and accessories sales online soaring by 32%.”

Traditional Retailers Return Dismal Online Search Results (Seeking Alpha)
Compared to e-commerce sites, “brick-and-mortar retailers – despite a slight increase in search presence over the past three years – consistently have the weakest performance of every group.”

Sir Philip Green unveils US plans for Topshop (Drapers)
Sir Philip Green plans to open up to 15 US Flagships of Topshop in the United States.

Thakoon Dabbles in Fur, Tailored Luxe (WSJ)
This was supposed to be a season of austerity, but fur has made a prominent appearance at Thakoon’s show.

Thakoon on Target, Recessionista Fashions and Dressing Michelle Obama (WSJ)
Thakoon has “copied” looks from his main line for a limited edition collection with Target.

The New Bling in this Economy (WSJ)
 ”Diamonds may be forever but in this economy, faux and semiprecious stones may be for now.”

Economy Loses 533,000 Jobs (WWD)
In the US, November’s 533,000 job losses, was the “steepest monthly fall since 1974 and a major hit to the most important underpinning for consumer spending.”

Do retail discounts work? (Just Style)
Steep shopping discounts this holiday season could do some damage to the retail business.

Thakoon s/s ‘09, photo courtesy of Thakoon.

NEW YORK, United States – New York already has the reputation of being the most commercial of the fashion capitals, but this New York Fashion Week has taken that stereotype to new levels. With economic uncertainty swirling through the city (Lehman Brothers is the latest Wall Street Bank whose future is in question) and footfall at department stores dropping precipitously, the mantra of the week seems to have been ‘Play it Safe!”

Over and over again this week, young designers have told me that the big buyers are sticking to proven silhouettes in basic colours, veering away from the fashion items. While the basics and staples of designer collections will always be important part of the product assortment, it seems to me that precisely because times are so tough, buyers should be making an effort to give consumers a reason to buy. And, that is not accomplished with a series of little black dresses.

To meet the expectations of buyers, many designers here also seemed to play it safe (even more than usual), delivering collections which verged on the boring.

Luckily, there were some more interesting options on offer, to keep consumers and savvy buyers more interested. Natalie Massenet, for example, raved about the jumpsuits at Thakoon and Proenza Schouler. There were also some beautiful and interesting silhouettes at Oscar de la Renta’s stunning show (where J-Lo made a front row appearance), keeping the ladies who lunch on their toes.

Speaking of which, perhaps the most inventive and creative duo in New York is Rodarte, who showed at the Gagosian Gallery in an unconventional seating arrangement, with shoes made of electrical wire and inspired by Star Wars’ C3P0.

As this New York season winds down (there were almost 250 fashion shows to be taken in an ever-expanding New York schedule), I am looking forward to the creative energy of London, where safety is a four-letter word. Then again, London has a long way to go in creating the same kind of energy around emerging fashion businesses as is found in New York. Perhaps a fusion of the two would be ideal.

London Fashion Week begins on Sunday.

Photos courtesy of Style.com and Coutorture.com.