S/S 09 Buyers Reports

all from wwd...starting with new york... Quote: Buyers Feel Shows Lack Pizzaz NEW YORK — Safe but a general lack of zing. That was buyers’ overall view of New York Fashion Week, which wrapped up Friday. While the commercial looks that packed the runways should have set retailers’ hearts aflutter, many of them were disappointed. Difficult times like these, they say, call not for the tried-and-true, but for wow-some looks that will lure nervous consumers to the stores, like bunnies out of the bushes. “The shows didn’t really live up to my expectations,” said Julie Gilhart, senior vice president and fashion director of Barneys New York. “There were some great ones, but for the most part, I think it was hard for designers to put their finger on exactly what we need and what inspires us during this period of change. Barbara Atkin,... [read full story]