“Think outside the box.”

The maxim is probably one of modern business’s most over-used clichés, yet it’s used even more as industry experts, consultants and, yes, editors, talk about what is needed to rescue ailing retailers, quailing vendors and our failing economy.

We encourage stores to rethink merchandise mixes, to question whether buys are about good product or good friendships and to take a chance on new collections. But I have to wonder how many of us actually took some time during the fall 2009 market to really look at something new. Sure, there were lots of collections that “fit” the image of our store (or our magazine). But were they really that different from collections we already carry? Did they complement your customer’s existing wardrobe? Or did they explore a side of your customer that you didn’t know existed? Did they have potential to bring in a new customer?

This tangent was inspired by a conversation with Pua Rochlen and the team at Jams World last week in Las Vegas. I’ll be honest. I was hesitant. One look at the booth and I was somewhat overwhelmed by the frenzy of color and pattern executed in what were primarily boxy short-sleeved camp shirts. Come on…do (middle-aged) men really need to be encouraged to wear loud print shirts? But something else caught my attention: the first day of MRket, I couldn’t get near the booth! From morning ‘til night, it was abuzz with activity. So my curiosity was piqued, and finally, on Wednesday morning, I saw an opening and jumped in to introduce myself.

The 45-year old Hawaii-based collection has a solid business in both short and long-sleeved men’s sportshirts, as well as shorts and neckties. What really made me begin to think about the collection differently, however, was when Pua very casually tossed off that he buys the art for his collection in Como.

Como? As in Lake Como where all the beautiful necktie silks come from? That’s the one. Pua shops the very same art markets that all the big designer labels do. And although he proceeded to show me plenty of the bright floral and nautical fancies that we associate with this style, he also showed me a rich, dark, almost somber collection that included engineered prints taken from Russian ceramics and medieval art. Another group was inspired by Japanese kimono fabrics (and with this season’s subtle 1980’s references, suddenly that looks very hot to me). I couldn’t help but think that they would make such an elegant presentation if paired with the right linen trousers or deconstructed sportcoats. Maybe with an earthy tweed for fall. Pua says that the store Cuzzens in Caesar’s Palace only carries high-end Italian lines, but now makes an exception for Jams World.

My point is not necessarily that you should run off and look at Jams World (although I’m sure they won’t mind), Hawaiian shirts in general or to start chasing the resort business. My point is that maybe we should all be willing to take a look at product, as opposed to brands, that we might not have previously considered, using our instincts and our abilities as merchants and salespeople to create individual, valuable outfits for our consumers.

So go ahead…you know…think outside the box!

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