2021 Summer Retail Report

Seattle has now been dealing with the effects of COVID-19 for over 18 months and the market remains just as volatile as ever. Last summer I wrote a retail report that summarized the pandemic-related impacts on the Seattle fashion community. This year, as we head into a second fall fashion season with COVID still in play, there are many things that remain unknown.

As of July 28, 82% of Seattle residents had started the vaccination process (source) and over 65% reported being fully vaccinated according to the mayor’s office. Yet, as of mid-August, Seattle remains a hot spot for community spread (source) and public health officials are advising residents to mask up again in public indoor spaces. This presents retailers with a series of logistical challenges that are often confusing, especially when different counties have different recommendations. In Snohomish County, home to Alderwood Mall, mask mandates have been reinstated as of August 12. In King County, home to multiple shopping centers including Bellevue Square, University Village, and Westfield Southcenter, masks are encouraged, but not required. In addition to enforcing mask mandates and store directives to keep shoppers safe, retailers are also facing staffing shortages, shipping delays on inventory, and daily adjustments to business operations.

*UPDATE 8/18/21- Governor Jay Inslee has issued a new statewide mask requirement that will go into effect on Monday, August 23. Per the announcement, all individuals in indoor public spaces (including restaurants, grocery stores, malls, and public-facing offices) must wear face coverings, regardless of vaccination status.

But it’s not all bad news, in fact, foot traffic is up in Seattle and people are shopping. Jon Scholes, President of the Downtown Seattle Association, recently told KIRO 7 that Pike Place Market is at 81% of their normal visitor traffic, hotel occupancy in Seattle is over 74%, and total visitor foot traffic downtown is about 80% of normal. The return of cruise ships to the Seattle waterfront last month has also generated a positive economic impact. According to the Port of Seattle, every time a cruise ship docks, $4.5 million is generated in the local economy.

When it comes to shopping habits, the pandemic has prompted many consumers to opt for a hybrid method of interacting with the stores and brands they love. In addition to embracing the safety and convenience of online shopping, virtual styling, and amenities like curbside pick-up, consumers are also pushing brands for custom content on digital channels and personalized IRL experiences that give them a reason to get offline.

Today, we’ll explore some of the changes we’ve seen around town when it comes to fashion and look ahead at the possibilities for fall.

Downtown Shopping Scene

Last summer, Seattle experienced a wave of social justice protests that caused downtown retailers to board up their storefronts and adjust retail hours. Some of those stores never recovered and until just recently, many of those stores that remained were still boarded up. In June, Mayor Jenny Durkan issued a “Road to Recovery” plan for the city that outlined new efforts and investments to bring workers, small businesses, and visitors back downtown. The Mayor also announced that new legislation approved by City Council will allow for flexible permitting of vacant storefronts in the city to be used by small businesses, artists, and other organizations to activate the area. The new rules go into effect in September and businesses who want to start the permitting process can find more info here.

Store Openings

• CORRE by Luis Velez of Guillermo Bravo (Madrona)

• Jenni Kayne (U Village)

• Evereve (U Village)

• Reformation (U Village)

• Levi’s (U Village)

• Frankie4 Shoes (HQ)

• Glossier (Capitol Hill)

• Sephora (Ballard Blocks)

• Brilliant Earth (U Village)

• Purpose Boutique (Totem Lake)

• Away (U Village)

• Warby Paker (Bellevue Square)

• Oak + Fort (Bellevue Square)

• Sub Pop (South Lake Union)

• Grace Loves Lace (Ballard)

• Brand launch: Sskein (Direct-to-consumer)

• Brand launch: Akala (Direct-to-consumer)

• Brand launch: Lovanie (Direct-to-consumer)

• Brand launch: Transcend (Direct-to-consumer)

Store Closures

• Totokaelo (Capitol Hill)

• Peridot (Queen Anne)

• Kick It Boutique (Ballard)

• Moorea Seal (Downtown Seattle)

• Mercer (U Village)

• Universal Standard (Belltown)

• Neiman Marcus (The Bravern)

• Frye (U Village)

• Baby & Co. (Downtown Seattle)

• MOMO (International District)

• H. Bailey Curated Resale (Pioneer Square Location)

• Fresh Tangerine (Capitol Hill location)

• KAVU (Downtown Seattle)

• Wayward (Downtown Seattle)

• Follain (U Village)

• Columbia Sportswear (Downtown Seattle)

Retail News

• Boma Jewelry is now B Corp Certified, becoming Seattle’s first and only B Corp certified jewelry brand. (media alert)
  
  

• Australian brand Frankie4Shoes plans to open a U.S. headquarters in Seattle (source)

• Zulily Launches 2021 Back-to-School Fashion Forecast along with new trend report and mom shopping guide.
  
  

• Nordstrom buys minority share in 4 UK fashion brands including Topshop and Topman. As part of the agreement, Asos will retain operational control of the Topshop brands but Nordstrom will have exclusive retail rights for the brands in North America. (Full story via The Seattle Times)

• Boma Jewelry has announced a retail pop-up scheduled for October 2021 in Seattle that will feature unique shopping experiences and pop-ups by fellow AAPI-owned brands.
  
  

• Brooks Running Revenue Grew 75% in Q2 (Read the full story)
  
  

• REI announces 25th Anniversary event benefitting the Mountaineers on Sept. 22 in Seattle (more info)
  
  

• Nordstorm has updated its BP Fashion Board program and it’s now called the Nordstrom Ambassador Program. The new structure goes beyond the original focus of high school teens and is now open to people ages 14-22. The program takes place from September 2021 thru May 2022 and components include content creation, styling, and fashion industry mentorship. (More info)
  
  

• Amazon has eclipsed Walmart to become the world’s largest retail seller outside China, according to corporate and industry data, a milestone in the shift from brick-and-mortar to online shopping. (Full story via NY Times)

• Buki moved its operations from Seattle to Tucson (more info)
  
  

• Eddie Bauer's New Content Studio Launches With Exploratory Film Series (Full story)
  
  

• Nordstrom’s playbook for fostering diversity and inclusion via NRF (Listen to the full episode)

• Filson lays off 56 workers located in Seattle and Kent across multiple teams including manufacturing, customer service, and repairs (Sourcing Journal Report)
  
  

We are now at the height of the traditional “back-to-school” shopping season, which is second only to holiday when it comes to driving revenue for most retailers. Children in Seattle Public Schools will begin the school year on Wednesday, September 1st and the plan is for full-time, in-person instruction for all students K-12. It’s likely that the Delta variant will derail school schedules at some point this fall, but that remains to be seen given the high vaccination rate in Seattle.

This month is also National Black Business Month and we’re seeing a long-overdue focus on Black-owned fashion brands in Seattle. Last summer, we conducted local outreach to connect with local retailers about the 15% Pledge, asking them to dedicate at least 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands. Our hope is that these conversations could serve as a catalyst for change. When we posted the retail report last summer, Nordstrom had yet to take the pledge. We are pleased to report that on July 8th, Nordstrom officially took the pledge and issued this announcement.

Locally, there has also been a renewed interest in fashion events. In addition to store openings, many Seattle retailers have also been hosting in-store sales and parties to make room for fall arrivals and connect in real life with their customers. Sway & Cake, Emry Boutique, Smith & Main, and Refind will join forces on Sunday, August 29 in Madison Valley for a special end-of-the-season sale.

Fall Fashion Notes

The fall fashion season is just around the corner and planning for a variety of events is already underway. A Fall Fashion Night is scheduled at University Village on Thursday, September 23 from 5-7 p.m., The Bellevue Collection has announced a return to in-person runway shows on October 8-9 with digital viewing options available, and Boma Jewelry is hosting a special pop-up in Seattle to celebrate its 40th anniversary in October. We have also learned that The Bravern will be hosting an in-person holiday event on Saturday, November 27th. You can also view current fashion events happening around town on our Fashion Calendar and stay in the loop by signing up for our mailing list.

Who’s Hiring

Staffing shortages are currently a major issue across all industries, fashion included. In addition, Seattle has unique pipeline issues because of the fact that two of the schools that had previously produced new fashion talent have closed including the International Academy of Design and Technology and The Art Institute of Seattle. There are still local colleges offering courses in fashion including Seattle University, Washington State University, Bellevue College, Seattle Central, Cornish School of Arts, and the University of Washington. Connecting the dots to help local retailers find qualified talent can be hard, so starting this month, we’re going to be posting relevant roles on this site to help fashion fans find unique opportunities in the market. Take a look at some of the current open roles below.

• Glossier Seattle - Link to view current job openings including Associate Store Director, Part-Time Sales, and more.

• COAL Headwear - Marketing Coordinator - Apply on Linked In

• Open roles at the Zumiez HQ in Lynnwood, WA

• Open roles at REI

• Levi’s Full-Time Stylist

• Careers at Nordstrom

• Eddie Bauer Digital Marketing Analyst

• Assistant Product Developer at San Mar

• Full-Time Bridal Stylist at Grace Loves Lace

• Apparel Graphic Designer at Brooks Running

• Amazon Fashion Specialist

• Editorial Stylist at Zulily

• Filson Product Developer

• Jewelry Sales Rep - ITC Accessories

• K2 Sportswear Product Line Manager for Apparel, Bags, Accessories

• Public Relations Specialist at Armoire

• Assistant Product Developer at San Mar

• Merchandiser at San Mar

• Product Quality Control Specialist at San Mar

*UPDATE 11/5/21 - Please note, these links are not regularly updated. If a listing URL is invalid, the job posting has expired.

Final Thoughts

We are cautiously optimistic for fall and look forward to the fashion season ahead. Over the past year, we’ve learned how to pivot quickly and make adjustments that are in line with customer needs. While we expect to see a full return to occupancy restrictions in Seattle this fall, we also expect companies to continue finding creative ways to connect with their community as they make the most of fall and holiday.

Consumer sentiment has changed as a result of the pandemic and will continue to evolve as we move toward a “new normal”. Shoppers now look at what brands are doing to address things such as sustainability and social justice to dictate whether or not they will make a purchase. Now more than ever, shoppers want to know that a brand’s values align with their own. In fact, a recent study by Wunderman Thompson has revealed that 88% of consumers believe that sustainability should be considered a standard business practice and 82% agreed that companies must put people and the planet before their profits. This data suggests that customers are paying attention to these issues and also want brands to remain accountable when it comes to tracking and reporting their progress. Consumers want to ensure that initiatives related to sustainability, social justice, and diversity and inclusion are more than just surface-level marketing from a brand.

Here’s what to expect this fall in Seattle:

• Digital shopping experiences from brands

• New and interesting product customization options for customers

• Curbside pick-up

• Selling via social media

• 1:1 shopping appointments

• Virtual styling appointments

• Intimate fashion events with proof of vaccination required

• A return to art/fashion fusion events

• Curated second-hand/vintage pop-ups with a focus on sustainability

• Cool collaborations between local, like-minded brands

• More Seattle companies moving their return to office date to 2022 (Companies including Amazon, Nordstrom, Google, and Facebook have already made this announcement. The Seattle Times reports that Amazon’s postponement affects roughly 60,000 people working in the company’s offices in Seattle and Bellevue.)