Content about designer

CHICAGO — The new fall fashions sometimes signals styles that present processing challenges for dry cleaners. American Drycleaner has identified four new styles that could be troublesome, but half of respondents to this month’s Wire survey say none of them will challenge a skilled cleaner.

Those polled were asked which of the following will present the biggest challenge:

• Patterned (head-to-toe graphic prints)
• Fur (real and faux fur)
• Baroque (lace and sheers; gold brocade and embroidery; accents such as metal sequins and glass prisms)
• Oversized (asymmetrical capes, “statement” coats, “drop-crotch” pants)

After the 50% who don’t fear one fashion style in the bunch, 27.8% believe baroque fashions present the biggest challenge. Approximately 11% pointed to fur, and another 11.1% said they didn’t know. No one who took the unscientific survey believed that patterned or oversized fashions would present the biggest challenge.

SAN FRANCISCO — The more you know about your customers, the more you can engage them with your services. The more you know about your best and most profitable customers, the more you can attract prospects that will become best customers.

So how do you go about it? You may have worked on compiling demographic information such as age, location and income levels. But is that enough?

DEMOGRAPHIC AND PSYCHOGRAPHIC PROFILING

Let’s use a hypothetical example: you have determined that you want to target consumers who earn more than $150,000, live in a specific ZIP code, are 35-45 years old, own a home worth more than the median price in your market, and have a college degree.

I’m going to describe two prospects:

SAN DIEGO — Margaret’s Cleaners’ 22,000-square-foot plant, formerly an upholstery fabric outlet, was designed from the ground up for servicing couture garments and accessories. Work on the two-story structure began in summer 2009 and continues today.

“That’s who we are,” says Chuck Horst, president of the family-owned company and the plant’s designer. “We’re always making changes. I have two departments in a temporary home as we’re still getting the remainder of those departments set up. … The plant is 95% complete.”

Margaret’s services more than 150 fine retailers. It offers delivery throughout Southern California plus Las Vegas, and nationwide through CleanByMail.

The difficulty of getting into and out of La Jolla, site of its previous flagship location, and a desire for less cramped quarters were factors in taking on the $7 million project, Horst says.

CHICAGO — Runways in the world’s fashion capitals came alive for 2011’s fall season, as if to herald an end to recessionary reserve and embrace edgy elegance again.

Ultra-bright colors, extreme ruffles and riotous patterns starred in over-the-top productions featuring post-apocalyptic landscapes, manacled models and psychedelic toadstools. Only minutes elapsed between many of the designer duds’ debuts and the time they hit the streets, knocked off for the mass market under many more-affordable labels.

Some of the season’s styles—the classically tailored mid-century modern and menswear-inspired looks, for example—shouldn’t present professional dry cleaners with problems if they remember to read their care labels and steady their skill sets. But others may have the most seasoned operators at a loss for a cleaning strategy, or at risk for a claim.

And as the following four trends move from the runway to the mall, they have the potential to present the biggest challenges.

CHICAGO — Runways in the world’s fashion capitals came alive for 2011’s fall season, as if to herald an end to recessionary reserve and embrace edgy elegance again.

Ultra-bright colors, extreme ruffles and riotous patterns starred in over-the-top productions featuring post-apocalyptic landscapes, manacled models and psychedelic toadstools. Only minutes elapsed between many of the designer duds’ debuts and the time they hit the streets, knocked off for the mass market under many more-affordable labels.

Some of the season’s styles—the classically tailored mid-century modern and menswear-inspired looks, for example—shouldn’t present professional dry cleaners with problems if they remember to read their care labels and steady their skill sets. But others may have the most seasoned operators at a loss for a cleaning strategy, or at risk for a claim.

And as the following four trends move from the runway to the mall, they have the potential to present the biggest challenges.

LOS ANGELES — I have shopped all over the world: in Toronto, I shop at Rochester Big and Tall. In New York, Rochester Big and Tall. In London, Rochester; Chicago, Rochester. Being 6-foot-4 with 37-inch sleeves, my choices in clothing have been pretty limited. At most big and tall men’s stores, Nehru jackets are just coming into style.

That was a bit of a problem when I was a personal manager and knew that there’d be some “Hollywood” people judging me on my “look.” Though I love dressing well, most clothing stores are fashion museums to me, and stylish clothes the artifacts.

I compensated with ties. I became known for having an amazing tie collection: thin, wide, vintage and new. While designer threads were out of the question because they weren’t made in my size, I got people to focus on the one fashion accessory where I could compete.

Instead of accepting my limitations, I concentrated on the positives.

I’m sure she was once a beauty queen, and she’s still stunning in her designer blouse and pants. It just takes her a little more time to maintain the image she saw in the mirror back in 1989.

Thanks to the miracle of cosmetic chemistry, she has resources — foundation, blush, eye shadow, mascara, lipstick, nail polish and more. They’re part of many women’s daily routines, and they’re found on the garments we clean.

Years ago, I wrote an article about pricing for profit. Now, I think it would be relevant to review pricing for designer garments. There’s a psychology behind wearing designer garments, and there should be a psychology in accepting them for cleaning, too.

Standard practice is to accept designer garments at the “regular” price. But people don’t wear them in the same way as other garments, nor do they purchase them at a “regular” price.