The summer season is here and we’re now in year three of the COVID-19 pandemic. I started writing these retail reports back in 2020 to keep the fashion community updated on what was happening around town. Many local businesses were extremely anxious about how things would unfold and these reports gave them a complete market overview to help fill in the blanks. It was an uncertain time that tested our resiliency in a wide variety of ways while also inspiring the community to work together and transition into the “next normal”. Fortunately, the pandemic proved to be a catalyst for creativity and long overdue change. In 2021, optimism returned to the market as new stores opened and vaccines made life a little less scary.

As we mark the halfway point of 2022, Seattle continues to experience a critical slowdown when it comes to the pace of business as we once knew it and many downtown storefronts remain closed as a result of crime and low foot traffic. In addition, office workers that once provided a vital spark to the city have yet to return in larger numbers, with downtown office occupancy rates stalling at around 33%. Jon Scholes, President of the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), has acknowledged that many factors are at play when it comes to re-building Seattle’s downtown corridor including homelessness. Mayor Bruce Harrell has noted that he is actively working with the Regional Homelessness Authority to prioritize downtown tent removal and get people into permanent housing. Despite all this, tourism is returning to the Emerald City. In fact, the cruise ship season is on track to bring in over a million visitors to Seattle this year, according to the Port of Seattle. Business and industry events are coming back to the convention center, baseball season is well underway, concerts are happening, and the annual Pride parade will return on June 26 to downtown Seattle.

When it comes to shopping habits, the pandemic has prompted many consumers to opt for a hybrid method of interacting with the brands they love. In addition to embracing the safety and convenience of online shopping, virtual styling, and amenities like curbside pick-up, consumers are returning to stores for personalized in-real-life experiences that give them a reason to get offline and reconnect.

Local designers are pushing through the chaos and continuing to focus on business development. Elisa Yip of luxury knitwear brand Sskein has added home goods to her assortment and Luis Velez of Guillermo Bravo recently closed a $65,000 round of funding to help with the production of a new customizable sneaker. Elsewhere, new business developments look optimistic, too. Evo recently opened a first-of-its-kind branded hotel concept for outdoor enthusiasts in Salt Lake City. Amazon opened a 30,000 square foot “Amazon Style” retail space in Los Angeles, and Tomboy X has partnered with Target on an exclusive new collection to celebrate Pride Month.

Today, we’ll explore what’s happening around town from a business and fashion perspective while also looking optimistically ahead at the possibilities for fall.

Downtown Overview

In the summer of 2020, 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 many storefronts are still boarded up. Despite all this, industry events are coming back to the convention center, the Mariners season is underway bringing in traffic to Sodo, events at Climate Pledge Arena are drawing people to lower Queen Anne, and the annual Pride parade will return on June 26th to downtown Seattle. The DSA is reporting that just under 1,000 in-person events are scheduled for this year, which will continue to bring traffic into the city for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

Store Openings

It’s not all doom and gloom around town. In fact, many stores are opening and introducing themselves to the market.

• Levi’s (Bellevue Square)

• Backcountry (U Village)

• Bogey Boys (U Village)

• Clare V (U Village)

• Evereve (U Village - New Location)

• Frankie4 (Capitol Hill) * Not totally new, but new-ish.

• House of LR&C (Alderwood Mall)

• Idina Bridal (U Village)

• Mejuri (U Village)

• Skin Spirit (Greenlake) source

• Vixen Collection (Queen Anne) - The official Grand Opening is Saturday, June 18th

  
  

Store Closures

• Lika Love (West Seattle) Source

• Bogey Boys (Capitol Hill)

• Ann Taylor (U Village)

Business News & Headlines

• Evo opened its first branded hotel in Salt Lake City. (source)

• Elliott Bay Book Co. has been sold to longtime manager, Tracy Taylor and Murf Hall and Joey Burgess, of Burgess Hall Group, who also own Pike/Pine's Big Little News. (media alert)

• Former Nordstrom VP Kristin Frossmo tapped as next head of Made in Washington (source)

• Tomboy X partners with Target to celebrate Pride Month (source)

• Earlier this year, Seattle boutique Sway & Cake launched a sustainable line of jewelry, AU 79. Pronounced Oh-79, the collection was inspired by the atomic symbol and scientific number for gold.

• Allbirds to start selling its shoes in select Nordstrom department stores (source)

• Nordstrom Local sets up shop in the Hamptons for the summer (source)

• REI hires chief supply chain officer as it expands its distribution footprint (source)

• Eddie Bauer Tops List of Employee Retention (source)

• Filson is only making 50 of these denim duffle bags and they’re already sold out

• Zumiez presented Jeff Mintle, VP of Design and Global Trend, with the Leader of the Year Award for his dedication to the company and unwavering leadership during the pandemic.

• A return to work, travel, and events boost sales for Tommy Bahama (source)

• Online retailer Zulily lays off corporate workers as parent Qurate aims to cut expenses (source)

• Funko to lay off 258 workers (source)

• Amazon opens a fashion store in Los Angeles (source)

• Oiselle’s donation program, Bras for Girls, is now officially a 501c3 non-profit. (source)

• Arvin Goods makes the list of “Best No Show Socks” in Elle Magazine

• Jennifer Garner wears Brooks Running Shoes (source)

• Glasswing Greenhouse Reopens After a Two-Year Hiatus (source)

• SanMar joins Vice President Kamala Harris on Central America Initiative (source)

• Cosmetic review platform RealSelf cuts 13% of its workforce and names permanent CEO (source)

• Kathryn Hyde has been named as the new owner of Millie boutique on Queen Anne.

• Chunks has partnered with August, a lifestyle period brand, on a special collab. (source)

• Blue Nile to Become a Public Company Again (source)

• UW business students launch Novoloom to provide ready–to–sew clothing and accessory kits (source)

• Seattle Met recently tapped stylist Darcy Camden and shop owner Kayla Gil to help select 5 must-have summer trends.

• Finnair Launches Service to Helsinki from SEA Airport (source)

• SEA Airport Celebrates Air Canada’s Inaugural Seattle-Montreal Service (source)

• Starting in July, travelers can catch a flight from Paine Field airport to the San Juan Islands aboard a Kenmore Air Cessna Caravan. Tickets will be priced at around $189 each way. (source)
  

Events

• The annual Northwest Hope & Healing Fashion Show will take place at the Seattle Yacht Club on August 21st at 11 a.m. Tickets are on sale now.

• Seattle Met recently tapped stylist Darcy Camden and shop owner Kayla Gil to help select 5 must-have summer trends.

• Zumiez and Digital Experience Platform NoCap Launch NXTUP Concert Series (source)

Influencer News

The ongoing pandemic has underscored the value of community building within the world of social media to connect with customers. As a result, content creators with large followings who match a brand’s specific target audience are reaping the rewards of their influence. Paid collaborations, sponsored posts, giveaways, and press trips are all back for local content creators and the community is eager to dive deeper into meaningful partnerships.

• During the month of May, we partnered with Tash Haynes on 40 days of giveaways to celebrate her 40th birthday. Featured brands included some of our local favorites including Mohai Seattle, Boma Jewelry, 86 West, Yuan Spa, Uneeda Burger, The Woodmark Hotel, The Village at Totem Lake, Knack Shops, Trophy Cupcakes, and more.

• Melody Todd of Honest Chatter hosted a special event in Snohomish last month to celebrate local businesses and support the community.

• Earlier this month, Richard Meharry launched Le Finalé, a luxury consulting company geared toward helping fashion-forward grooms navigate their big day.

In related news, influencer shopping app LTK (formerly LiketoKnow.it and rewardStyle) is working to help retailers reduce online return rates by adding a product review feature for content creators that allows them to share information on garment fit and materials.

The influencer marketing industry is expected to grow to $16.4 billion this year, up from an estimated $13.8 billion in 2021, according to a study by Influencer Marketing Hub. Despite the global impact of COVID, influencer marketing is as popular as ever. In 2021, influencer marketing platforms raised more than $800M in funding, a sign of continued growth for the industry. In 2022, 68% of marketers surveyed for the report plan to increase their influencer marketing spend.

Fashion Podcasts

The latest Wisdom from the Wardrobe podcast episode from the Michael Bruce Image Consulting team is now LIVE. Titled “Euro Chic”, episode 22 features great tips for helping you navigate summer travels in style.

The Nordy Pod launched earlier this year and if you’re a fashion fan that hasn’t checked it out yet, it’s definitely worth a listen. Hosted by Pete Nordstrom, President and Chief Brand Officer, The Nordy Pod gives listeners a “peek behind the curtain” to learn more about the people behind the business. In the latest episode, Pete chats with Andy Dunn, co-founder of Bonobos.

BONUS

If you want to take a trip down memory lane, check out Episode 13 of the Gossip & Glamour podcast from September of 2019. It’s wild to listen back and hear what was happening around town at that time, just a few months before the pandemic really took hold.

Fall Fashion Notes

The fall fashion season is just around the corner and robust planning for a variety of events is already underway. We predict that fashion events will be back on in a big way. Bellevue Fashion Week Runway Shows will return to full capacity this fall and tickets are scheduled to go on sale July 12th. A special What She Said Women in Business event at W Bellevue will also take place in conjunction with Bellevue Fashion Week (more info coming soon.).

Who’s Hiring

Staffing shortages continue to be 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, but despite this, the ongoing impact of these dedicated fashion programs going away remains to be seen. Connecting the dots to help local retailers find qualified talent can be hard, so we were delighted to see that the Sustainable Fashion Forum, based in Portland has added a job board to its platform. StyleCareers is another great resource for finding local fashion jobs.

Final Thoughts

Despite the ongoing pandemic and rising inflation rates, I continue to remain optimistic about the future of the Seattle business landscape. Now is the time to actively reimagine what a post-pandemic Seattle could look like. It’s critical that we thoughtfully rebuild in a fair and equitable way. I look forward to being part of those conversations.