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THE LARGEST FALL '95 COLLECTION OF

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THE ULTIMATE IN LEATHER
810* 649 *4433

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WINTER 1995 • STYLE

Beyond 2000/Pat Rosen

(continued from page 66)

Designers no longer dictate the fashions
that will appear on the streets, only on the
runways. Consumers have become very
confident and sophisticated. They know
what they want and they make those choic-
es at the cash register. Choice is a key con-
cept in retailing.
Consumers have a wide variety of choic-
es. Retailers need to distinguish themselves
by selection, presentation and service. The
consumer market also is in a great state of
change. According to Essence magazine, the
Oriental, Hispanic and African-American
markets as a group will form the majority
of the consumers by the year 2000. The
successful retailer will need to meet the
challenges of the marketplace by meeting
the needs of the consumer. For example,
Burberrys carries trench coats starting at size
32S for their Asian client.
Technology has entered our personal
lives and professional lives through cellu-
lar telephones, fax machines, beepers and,
of course, computers. People seek refuge
from this bombardment. Home will be-
come an oasis. There is a growing feeling
that fashion and home interior designs are
reflections of each other. People want to
feel comfortable and confident in their
homes, just as they do in their personal ap-
pearance. High-tech belongs in a home and
people expect it, but so do a favorite chair
and treasured heirlooms. The shopping
mall concept is evolving as we move to the
next century.
As I foresee it, the mall concept has to
embrace the home experience. It needs to
become less threatening and challenging
and more comforting. The mall of the fu-
ture has to be exciting, entertaining and cre-
ate a fantasy experience for the consumer.
The success of such venues as Nike, Warn-
er Bros. and Disney stores points to the
need to entertain. Concepts such as the
Rainforest Cafe, which is a retail/eatery con-
cept in a natural setting provide the cus-
tomer with new experiences. Shopping is
no longer a hobby or something to do on a
Saturday afternoon.
Shopping entertainment provides the
hook to bring the consumer to the mar-
ketplace. It then becomes the challenge
of the retailer to meet customers' needs.
Sounds like an almost impossible task, but
we have the tools at our fingertips ... tech-
nology is our future. ❑