How to Shop Mall Brands Like A Fashion Editor
Call it the Zara effect: Mass market brands that were kind of meh a minute ago have seriously upped their fashion game. Wander into any Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, or Ann Taylor and you’ll see what I mean: The dowdy cardigans and ill-fitting pants that used to line the racks have gone, making way for tailored jackets, origami skirts, slouchy sweaters, and high-waisted pants. Even online, the old school catalog girls with next door smiles have been replaced with bed-headed waifs wielding moody stares.
Blame Zara, yes. But also Cos, Ayr, Club Monaco, Uniqlo, and Everlane — retailers who over the last few years have been setting a new tone for American retail. With an understated mix of trend-driven basics at generally accessible prices, they’ve struck a chord with women who want to look grown-up, but also still stylish and cool, without paying Celine prices.
It’s a demographic mall brands have always coveted, but, thanks to lumbering production schedules and slow turnaround times, have had trouble reaching — especially when compared to nimble fast fashion brands. But that may be changing: Old Navy recently revamped its processes in order to more quickly meet consumer demands, resulting in an attractive mix of runway-inspired pieces like boxy blazers and cropped plaid trousers — plus, $6 billion in sales last year. “Our design and production models have enabled us to test new fashion-forward styles in small runs with our customers, and we’ve been blown away by the response,” explains Sarah Holme, Senior Vice President of Design at the company. “We understand that aspirational, fashion-relevant product should not be exclusively linked to a high price tag, so we’ve been very focused on delivering fashion-forward quality styles at a value price.”
Beyond industrial logistics and low prices, mall brands are also appealing to another illusive sect: Fashion influencers and celebrities. Earlier this year, Old Navy tapped cult-fashion duo Emily Current and Merritt Elliot as brand ambassadors. Olivia Palermo is often photographed wearing Ann Taylor, while Lena Dunham was recently very outspoken about her adoration for the brand’s sister line LOFT. Even Eva Chen, the Instagram sensation and former editor-in-chief of Lucky magazine, was spotted in Banana Republic at Milan Fashion Week.
“I’d say it’s because these brands are getting back to their roots,” says Nikki Ogunnaike, Elle.com’s senior fashion editor, of the sudden appeal of these previously “uncool” brands. “They’re offering solid, just-trendy-enough pieces that almost anyone would love — nothing too wild or out of left field — just a nice item you can wear often.”
And that, it seems, may be the key to mall brands’ future and lasting success: Make it easy, make it stylish, and don’t make a big fuss. Because, really, at the end of the day, that’s how most women really want to dress.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
