Men are shopping for clothes once again as they return to work and social engagements, especially in areas with easing COVID-19 restrictions. The populace is still embracing the comfort clothing trends that took hold during the lockdowns, so public attire for men continues to be more relaxed than the formal suit-and-tie look. Men, especially millennials and Gen Z-ers, are ready to shop for the “new normal” version of their public wardrobe. Trends in men’s clothing include a shift towards more casual merchandise. There has also been a move away from urban city center locations, and in-store assistance is shifting to order at-home shipments. Men’s apparel brands that appear healthy for continued U.S. expansion include Indochino, Bonobos, State & Liberty, Psycho Bunny and Rodd & Gunn. Stores with a small U.S. presence poised for expansion include both Todd Snyder and Lindbergh USA.
The digitally-native customized menswear brand Indochino has postponed expansion for the remainder of 2020, but remains hopeful that by next year it can open approximately 15 new units per year over the next seven years, thanks to its $42M investment from the Shanghai-based Dayang Group four years ago. The brand has flexibility with its spaces, as its showroom-style stores do not carry merchandise but are instead set-up as customized measurement sessions in which the suits are later mailed to the purchaser. Retail space requirements range from 1,700 to 2,700 s.f. and tend to be in upscale shopping malls and retail street fronts in thriving urban and suburban areas. Indochino hinted that its future stores may carry more merchandise for same-day sales. The retailer is also receptive to opening multiple units in the same city, as it has proven in Boston, New York City, Miami and Portland, Ore. By successfully pivoting its in-person service with online booked sessions, and because it has a small amount of in-store merchandise, Indochino is poised to weather the coronavirus storm just fine. Before shutdowns struck, the brand had opened a 2,600-s.f. unit in a standalone space along a retail district street in uptown New Orleans in January, next to an UNTUCKit. On the horizon, Indochino is slated to open units before year’s end in Miami, Chicago, Portland and Dedham, Mass.
Bonobos hopes to continue with its goal to open between five and 10 new units per year for the next three to four years. Its self-termed “guideshops,” which act as retail showrooms versus standard stores, average about 1,500 s.f., and are located in upscale shopping malls, lifestyle centers, as well as ground-level retail units in mixed-use spaces. The retailer, which was purchased by Walmart three years ago, expects to continue opening new units in metropolitan and mid-sized cities and suburban communities throughout the country. The retailer’s demographic consists of men between the ages of 25 and 54, primarily millennial, with an average household income of $125K per year.
Similar to Indochino, Bonobos also carries no in-store inventory, but instead houses sample sizes/products for the customer to order in-store, with shipment arriving to the customer’s home within the week. Bonobos is also testing the concept of having limited clothing and accessory items available for same-day carry-out purchases. The retailer is also expanding its “try before you buy” model, in which up to twelve items purchased can be sent to the store instead of the purchaser’s home.
The customer can at that point decide whether to purchase the items or not. Its appointment system is ideal for social-distancing, as only a limited number of people are in its store at a given time.
State & Liberty is a digitally-native men’s apparel brand on the verge of expansion, having begun opening permanent stores in 2019, and which now has 11 U.S. locations. More store growth can be expected throughout metropolitan areas in the South, including Texas, Georgia and the Carolinas, as well as throughout the West Coast, including Northern California, Oregon and Washington. State & Liberty seeks space in upscale urban mixed-use storefronts, lifestyle centers and premier indoor and outdoor shopping malls. Preferred co-tenants include like-minded health and gym-related retailers, such as Lululemon, Foot Locker and Equinox, as its moisture-wicking, wrinkle-free clothing products are geared towards active men interested in fitness.
With an average square footage of 1,500 s.f., State & Liberty has found success opening pop-ups in potential new communities before agreeing to open permanent stores. Its most recent store opened in June in the former HPE Activewear space in the Scottsdale Quarter outdoor shopping district in Scottsdale, Ariz., next to a Sunglass Hut and Bubble Bee, a local fruit juice and tea store. In May, State & Liberty also opened a 1,530-s.f. street-front inline unit at a former Soles Inc. shoe store (a Florida-only chain) in Fort Lauderdale and in February the brand opened its first West Coast location with a pop-up store in the Fashion Island outdoor mall in Newport Beach, Calif. The brand, which markets its clothing as breathable, comfortable dress wear, will produce more casual clothing to accomodate more people working from home due to coronavirus.
Psycho Bunny is cranking up its expansion goals and has opened six stores since fall of last year, with a seventh expected to open in Westfield Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara, Calif., by early to mid-fall. Its average unit size is about 1,700 s.f., and the brand seeks premiere shopping mall space with luxury-branded co-tenants in major markets, especially tourist areas, within both upscale metropolitan and suburban locations. Ideal visitor traffic should be between 25 and 30 million per year. Psycho Bunny hopes to continue opening new units in major markets over the next two years. Expect to see the retailer shopping for space in Southern California, the Carolinas, Chicago and Scottsdale, Ariz. In August, the brand opened a pop-up unit in the NorthPark Center shopping mall in Austin, Texas, next to a Rebecca Taylor store. The retailer also opened two stores in outlet malls to house its excess merchandise: a 1,870-s.f. pop-up space that became a permanent unit in early 2020 at the Orlando International Premium Outlets in Orlando, Fla., and a pop-up space that opened in June 2020 at the Tanger Outlets in Riverhead, N.Y.
Its clothing products are finely tailored conservative pieces, such as polo shirts, with whimsical playful elements that add a touch of nontraditional fun.
New Zealand men’s clothing brand, Rodd & Gunn, will be opening approximately two to five new stores per year over the next three years in the U.S. It seeks space in high-end indoor and outdoor shopping centers and lifestyle centers, and urban street-front mixed-use space in upscale suburban communities. The retailer’s ideal square footage is between 1,600 and 3,200 s.f. Its target demographic is men who are at least 30 years old. The brand had introduced a restaurant/bar concept next to its stores, called the Lodge Bar, in its native New Zealand. Lodge Bar opened last March in Auckland with a 4,000-s.f. combined space, and in 2016 in Queenstown. It may potentially open an American version of this restaurant/bar concept in the future. Rodd & Gunn’s clothing is considered upscale casual with a laid-back sensibility. Its tailored shirts, polo shirts, pants and jeans are perfect for today’s male consumer teetering between both relaxed business wear and at-home comfort clothing.
Todd Snyder opened its third store in June, a 1,000-s.f. pop-up shop in East Hampton, N.Y., between a Warby Parker and Dylan’s Candy Bar. It is a departure from the brand’s urban origins but reflects the COVID-19 trend of moving away from metropolitan centers. The store’s limited inventory carries more casual and beach-related clothing merchandise and can handle in-store online ordering for home shipment. If the concept proves successful, the store will become permanent in January 2021. Todd Snyder’s other two street-front retail stores are in New York City: an 800-s.f. space in Tribeca, and a 4,500-s.f. unit across the street from Madison Square Park that also features an in-house men’s hair studio and an on-site tailor.
Under ownership of American Eagle Outfitters for the past five years, Todd Snyder has plans to expand into other cities, notably Los Angeles and possibly Florida markets. The retailer seeks space in shopping district street fronts and shies away from traditional shopping mall space. Its casual clothing merchandise will also continue to be the focus, and new locations are expected to reflect the brand’s growing outdoor-minded demographic. The Todd Snyder demographic consists of men between the ages of 30 and 54 whom appreciate fashion. Markets being eyed include Denver and Seattle and some Northeast states, especially to cater to those outdoor-oriented customers who would appreciate the retailer’s clothing collaboration with hiking and camping-related L.L. Bean, expected to launch in the fall.
Lindbergh USA, a Danish men’s retail clothing brand owned by parent company PWT Brands, only had two stores in the U.S. for the last five years, but is now on track to expand further into major metropolitan cities throughout the U.S. The brand is projecting opening approximately five to seven new units over the next one to two years, especially in spaces vacated by retailers affected by COVID-19. Lindbergh prefers space between 5,000 and 10,000 s.f. in malls, lifestyle centers and busy street fronts. The brand’s ideal demographic is men between the ages of 19 and 35, and preferred co-tenants are H&M, Zara and Forever 21. Its latest store opening is a 12,028-s.f. space at the Dania Pointe mixed-use development in Dania Beach, Fla., that opened in June.
There have been some recent shifts in the men’s apparel industry as a result of the dressing-down trend. Formal men’s apparel brands, including Brooks Brothers and Tailored Brands’ Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank, have announced Chapter 11 Bankruptcy after suffering from low sales during the pandemic. Even though Simon Property Group and Authentic Brands Group made an offer to purchase Brooks Brothers, the brand still expects to be closing approximately 100 of its 236 U.S. stores. The men’s clothing retailer UNTUCKit had traction pre-COVID-19 to open approximately ten stores per year over the next two years, but recently put its expansion plans on the back burner. The company has retained the services of RCS Real Estate Advisors to assist with its lease renegotiations in light of coronavirus setbacks.
