Frederick's Makes Growth Gambit With New Flagship Store
Los Angeles lingerie maker and retailer Frederick’s of Hollywood will build a new flagship store as part of a gambit to increase its share in the $9.1 billion U.S. lingerie market. But Frederick’s executives said the new flagship and its efforts to tweak the company’s image will not abandon the retailer’s daring impulses, which introduced the world to such iconic lingerie pieces as the black bra and the thong panty.
The new store will feature the leopard-skin floor coverings that helped define the spirited look of Frederick’s first store, located at 6608 Hollywood Blvd. The space will also include dramatic fabric-draped columns and Swarovski-crystal light fixtures.
The look is a combination of old Hollywood glamour and “a touch of today,” said Denise Marsicano, senior vice president, general manager of stores.
Moving to a busier part of Hollywood hopefully will provide a breath of fresh air, said Linda LoRe, Frederick’s president and chief executive officer. The move is also intended to be a statement about the company’s growth potential.
The 4,500-square-foot shop will open in September at 6751 Hollywood Blvd., one block east of the tourist-friendly Hollywood & Highland shopping center.
LoRe said Frederick’s, which currently maintains 150 stores in 30 states, might roll out more than 400 mall stores. The growth is part of a second act for the company, which reorganized under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2003 and currently earns “better-than-average” sales per square foot, according to LoRe. (Average sales per square foot is $400, according to the New York–based International Council of Shopping Centers.) Frederick’s executives hope the new store will draw in more customers with its corner location, double-height interior and easily-to-navigate mini-shops.
The mini-boutiques include: White Hot, dedicated to white lingerie and intimates (including bridalwear); Seduction, composed of black lingerie; and the Corset Suite, featuring more than a dozen corset styles. The store also will feature a bra bar staffed by a bra stylist who will recommend the best fits and styles for each customer. The upstairs mezzanine will feature a VIP shopping area, where a Frederick’s stylist will assist customers in assembling lingerie wardrobes.
Frederick’s new and renovated stores will include some style elements of the flagship. The shops also will feature fashion displays designed to get a reaction, said John Schulman, senior vice president and general merchandise manager. “Some women will declare a fashion piece gorgeous; another will declare it the ugliest thing she’s ever seen. What is important is that I’m getting them to emote,” he said.
To illustrate the concept of “polarizing” fashion pieces, Shulman points to the whimsical ensemble of a faux fur–trimmed bra, caplet and skater skirt. But the Frederick’s collection also includes core pieces, such as a micro satin chemise with pintucks.
The common theme running throughout the entire collection is sex appeal, LoRe noted.
“You won’t find a flannel nightgown in our assortment,” she said. “We begin and end with cleavage.” —Andrew Asch
