Catching Up with Bert Pulitzer, XMI

Few guys know more about furnishings business than Bert Pulitzer, who’s made shirts and ties his life work. Here, we discuss what’s happening in the business now.

How’s business?

Ours has been surprisingly good.

Any trends in neckwear that we should know about?

The two big things now are narrow widths and bright colors. Most of our ties are now 3.5 or 3.25 inches. We’re also selling some three-inch dressy ties designed for young guys (including lots of black and silver in three-inch shapes). And regardless of width, we can’t make them bright enough!

What about pricing? Is tie business these days promotional?

Not at all. Since guys buying ties today are those who want them rather than need them, it’s not a price-driven business. Ours are $85 retail for XMI Black Label and $115 in Platinum. Going forward, there will be a lot less carry-over inventory and less need for manufacturer close-outs so prices should remain stable.

How’s the shirt business?

Shirts are doing really well: there’s less newness in tailored clothing and not everyone wears ties everyday but guys still wear shirts everyday. But here we’ve brought down prices: we used to open at $125; now we start at $89.50 and go up to $185 with fancies averaging $125. As for styling, we’re moving to more fashion rather than classic: more textures and dobbies and new colors. Modeling is becoming part of the business again. Collar styles and small nuances are beginning to come back. The important thing here is to have fashion details in the proper percentage to total assortment.

We’re also doing exceptionally well with our trademarked Signature Back sportshirts: this is a whole new way to construct a shirt (made from only three pieces: two fronts with sleeves and one back); it’s very flattering on the body and it gives the guy a reason to buy. We were in 20 good stores last spring and we’re now in 80; our Signature Back account base should double again by the next MRket show. The fabrics are beautiful and the trim is subtle and sophisticated rather than gimmicky.

What’s the retail on these shirts?

It depends on the fabric and on how aggressive the store wants to be: the range is $99.50 to $185.

Any advice to retailers in these tough times?

The worst decision is not to advertise. The advertising budget should be the last thing to get cut. The trick is to think as the customer would and focus on what’s important now.

Have you seen any great ads or marketing ideas lately?

Yes. I like when specialty stores do special insider pricing or something exclusively for local customers. This can be tied in to a monthly get-together inviting in new local customers. Maybe a “Rookie Night” that would provide men with some how-to’s about style and dressing well.

Bottom line, it’s about making it personal and supporting the community. Some merchants have even created WiFi spaces in their stores with espresso service so the store becomes a place for guys to hang out. Some stores are hooking up with radio programs; many are giving things away that are not clothing-related like an iPod certificate for $25 worth of downloads or a DVD of a current movie. (Everyone loves to get something for free and these days, it’s almost expected!) With department stores having turned into a series of designer shops, the more personal ambiance of a specialty store resonates more today than ever.