Blue Planet
Blue Cult goes international with insight from the world market
When Los Angeles–based denim maker Blue Cult Inc. called in its international distributors for a preview of the Fall 2006 collection, the list of countries represented read like a United Nations roster. China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, England, Canada and countries of Southeast Asia were represented by distributors eager to see next year’s offerings and weigh in on what styles will work best for them.
Blue Cult, which makes the Sacred, Sacred Blue, Blue 2, Blue Cult, Blue Cult Elite and Blue Cult Knits brands, prides itself on its close relationship with its international distributors. “Every market has a twist,” said Tara Narayan, marketing director of Blue Cult, Sacred Blue and Blue 2. “We do a lot to make sure we understand and address the different international trends.”
In the past, that has meant having individual meetings with their international distributors on a quarterly basis to keep them abreast of the line and pick their brains for trends. Last month marked the first time Blue Cult convened with all of its international distributors in one room at one time.
In a suite at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills, each Fall ’06 Blue Cult line was introduced by its designer and displayed on models. The distributors were quizzed on the looks and encouraged to give opinions about the denim. Washes were critiqued, treatments were discussed, and silhouettes and fits were debated.
It’s important that the distributors pull no punches, Narayan said, because it helps the Blue Cult team whittle down and focus the lines. “They’re very candid because they’re on the front lines and hear directly from the customers in their countries. The same way we know the U.S. market, they know their market,” she said.
“We take their feedback into consideration. If someone wants highly embellished jeans, but it’s not a hot trend for us at the time, we try to do a few pieces to address that need while maintaining the integrity of the line,” Narayan added. “Every piece has to be true to the Blue Cult concept.”
The company’s various lines, which offer a variety of denim styles from basic denim pieces to novelty jeans encrusted with grommets and leather patches, give distributors a world of options. “They cherry-pick the lines, taking the styles that will work best for them,” she said.
Garnering lots of interest at the Fall ’06 meeting was Blue Cult Elite, the company’s newest denim line. Bowing in Fall ’05, the line is made up of dark denim in body-conscious cuts. “It is a very couture-looking jean,” Narayan said, and is geared to appeal to the more high-end consumer. Designed by Susan Woo, Elite has an average wholesale price point of $100 for fitted blazers, skinny jeans and denim pencil skirts.
Chasing denim trends around the world makes sense for Blue Concept, whose jeans are found in glossy fashion magazines in Iran and on hipsters in Croatia. “Denim moves at a different pace,” Narayan said. “It has its own cycle. We’ve always had a skinny, a flare and a boot cut in the lines. Now the skinny has taken off because girls want something easy to tuck into their boots,” she said. In the end, the selection of Blue Cult jeans sold internationally will be slightly different than the company’s jeans retailing in U.S. stores.
Denim ’Round the World
Although denim has been a quintessential wardrobe staple for Angelenos for years, it’s still a growing trend internationally. Not everyone is on the same page when it comes to what makes for fashionable denim. What’s hot in Hollywood may not yet be cool in London and what’s passeacute; in New York may still be de rigueur in Mexico City. As a result, hitting the trends can be a challenge for denim makers with an international client base. Here are some of the current denim trends around the world, according to Blue Cult’s international distributors.Mexico: While the United States is moving away from embellishments to cleaner, leaner denim, Mexico still wants a little Latin flavor in its jeans. Embellishments, pocket details and funky washes rank high on the hot list.
Japan: In the past, Japanese consumers have clamored for fitted silhouettes and far-out touches. “We see a lot of decorative jeans, which is very attractive to the consumer,” said Nao Sugikawa of Blue Cult Japan. “We’re getting a little tired of the normal silhouette. For this coming Spring, it seems like the baggy style will be hot.”
Australia and New Zealand: Their beach culture is reminiscent of the Southern California lifestyle. Fitted jeans paired with a fabulous top and skinny heels are perfect for a night out.
United Kingdom: Still gunning for embroidery and flared shapes, the United Kingdom isn’t ready to get behind skinny shapes just yet. Jeans with more generous cuts and heavy embroidery and branding make the grade in England.
France: French consumers like variety. Straight, skinny and flared denim are perennial favorites.
South Africa: The premium denim concept is still quite new to South Africa, said Marc Herman, owner of Cape Town–based denim distributor Loft Fashion. Bootleg is the cut of choice and premium denim tends to be clean. “We’ll introduce the skinny jean a little later,” Herman said, noting that for now South African consumers are staying away from heavy embellishment.
