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Now fast forward with me thirty years… quick images dash through your mind along the way, hilarious antics of Dolly Parton and Lilly Tomlin in “Nine to Five,” Dustin Hoffman selecting his hosiery in “Tootsie,” Jennifer Beals’ weathered tights/legwarmers in “Flashdance,” Demi Moore sans hosiery in “Disclosure,” and Mel Gibson putting on pantyhose in “What Women Want.” I know you’re asking yourself, ‘What’s the relevance of the fashion driven vignettes, Sally, get to your point.’ My point is simple. We as a society and we as an industry are impacted by these three words: Reset. Rethink. Renew. Ironically, these words function as the association’s theme for the next two years yet they also fundamentally impact our businesses and determine whether we will succeed or fail. We just experienced an economic crisis which emulates that of the Great Depression, we are also participating in one of the worst global downturns in history. The world has been reset. Uncertainty is now the new “norm,” and our environment will never be the same. Growth will be more difficult to achieve and volatility will permeate trends. We know consumers are thriftier with their spending and seek more value out of their purchases. How do your products compare?

PIERRE MANTOUX

traditionally woman would buy an outfit and then buy the appropriate items accessorize. Today they seek out bold and fashion forward hosery and the outfit becomes secondary

Adapt Your Hosiery
We’ve come to grips with this reality during the last two years...it continues to be a time of rethinking for all of us- both in our personal and professional lives. As it relates to hosiery, no, these are not your grandmother’s. They fit better, they are more comfortable, cooler and yes, some even contain caffeine. Some have toes, some are toeless and some even footless.

Shoe styles and pedicures have convinced the consumer that she should demand it and she does. Traditionally women would buy an outfit and then buy the appropriate items to accessorize. Today they seek out bold and fashion forward hosiery and the outfit becomes secondary. Fall ready to wear trends maintain their focus on the leg and proliferation of boots only emphasize the ability to mix and match a variety of hosiery styles. How do your products match up? I am personally convinced that there is far more to be gained by acting together as we tackle the key issues. I believe that just as we invest our personal energies into the strengthening of our businesses, we similarly have the opportunity to renew our products and breathe new life into the category. I encourage you to make that commitment to each other to create new and exciting products, listen to what the consumer wants and answer her, take pride in developing sustainable business practices for our industry as it continues to revolutionize for those generations yet to come.

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THE BEST OF INTIMA – 02/2010

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