Mass market: ready to wear fashion?

Back in May, Warren Flick, president of Kmart's U.S. stores, told Apparel Merchandising : "We have to do a better job in basics. In fact, our goal is to be perfect in that regard."

That merchandising concept was made clearly visible earlier this month on the selling floor of Kmart's brand new experiment--its first Manhattan unit--which opened with much fanfare on 34th Street.

The multilevel store with an entrance on the concourse at Penn Station, is filled with power presentations in areas such as denim, fleece, entertainment licensing (if features both Disney and Warner Bros. shops) and accessories. These sections let shoppers know that they have come to a headquarters location for key, sought-after categories.
But is being good at the basics enough for Kmart, or any other discounter, to raise the bar and jump to the next level of the apparel business?

As we head into what is clearly a fashion cycle--maybe the biggest since the business was dominated by companies like Generra, Liz Claiborne and Esprit--are mass merchants positioned to compete? Or, is this an opportunity for department stores to woo back consumers who have jumped onto the selling floors of the discounters and national chains?

Most mass merchants say they are ready. Kmart's spin people even went so far as to pass out press releases at the New York opening, touting Kmart's fashion prowess. "Kmart's customers seek the latest styles and fabrications in the most current colors to update their wardrobes from season to season," says one release, attributing that quote to Maria Comfort, the store's divisional vice president of ladies.