Urban's Leifsdottir Line on the Upswing

The recession caused most brands to reduce spending, lower prices and more basic design styles, but Urban Outfitters green light for the launch of Leifsdottir, contemporary label, which could be sold wholesale $ 10 million later this year.
The vintage inspiration, detail-oriented line made its debut on the day Lehman Brothers collapsed. However, the financial crisis did not stop Urban Outfitters CEO Glen Senk.
" 'No' it makes me nuts, because 'no' is not only an answer," Senk said in an interview. "Must be" Yes "or" How, 'do not you?
At a time when many retailers are playing it safe, slightly romantic dresses and sportswear with tailoring the old tracks have managed to secure a place in the retail landscape. This spring, Leifsdottir - a traditional Scandinavian name that translates as "daughter of Leif" and is a nod to the Director of Stationery Finnish Johanna Uurasjarvi's - will be sold in 150 doors, including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's and Bergdorf Goodman, and independent stores as Anthropologie. It hangs around labels like Marc by Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg, Milly, and Elizabeth and James.
For the first time in spring, Leifsdottir be sold outside the U.S. at Holt Renfrew in Canada and Selbu in Hong Kong. Neiman Marcus has increased its purchase of 31 stores in five years, despite a year ago, the company felt it was too cheap, "said Senk. Leifsdottir also available in the new Anthropologie store in London and will be sold at a second location to open there in March.
Other European potential sites for Anthropologie stores are explored, with Paris at the top of the list. Leifsdottir be sold at Anthropologie Europe website when released in March. In addition, an e-tail site Leifsdottir be available in January. This autumn, the brand plans to introduce shoes and handbags that will hit stores in early 2011. Senk said he is considering the introduction of other labels wholesale, with a launch as soon as soon as next year, but provided no details.
Christine Chen, analyst at Needham & Co., said the strategy is similar to what the company did with Free People, which began with the wholesale and distribution has been limited to a handful of the independent shops.
"What we're trying to do is create a brand with great caution," he said. "One of the reasons why it has been so well received by customers at wholesale is that good quality fashion at great prices is very good and is very attractive."
Although no immediate plans to Leifsdottir boutiques, Senk said there could be nearly 200 in the coming years and at least 100 stores in Pueblo Libre, and 250 units for each of Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. All these labels, as well as the ground, a garden center that launched a drive retail sales this year, is owned by Urban Outfitters. There are 154 stores from Urban Outfitter, 135 units of Anthropology and 34 Free People stores.
For Leifsdottir, Uursjarvi said his goal was to maintain reasonable prices and use the sewing skills were honed at their school in Helsinki. Uursjarvi, the first designer hired by Anthropologie for 10 years, likes to say that he designed "everything from shirts to mugs of tea and silk dresses to the sofas."
"We do not react to the recession, but it is a mark of the recession," he said.
On average, Leifsdottir is three times the price of Anthropologie, with retail items from $ 225 to $ 240. Anthropologie average unit price has remained more or less the same in recent years, said Senk. As for the recession, he said, "People do not come from spending 100 to zero. The people went from 100-90 to spend, so we had to be smarter to get more of those 90".
With such unexpected details such as boning, crinoline petticoat and corset-type training, Leifsdottir is in the same sense as "slow cooking," said Senk.