New line West of Melrose is a nod to the trendy street of the same name as Tilly’s Inc. looks to pull in older customers with an in-house label.
The Irvine retailer (NYSE: TLYS) began testing the line, which it’s calling “young contemporary,” in a few of its stores during back-to-school season, but CEO and President Ed Thomas said it’s now ready for rollout across most of the store fleet.
“West of Melrose is aimed at capturing the older teen and college age young woman, which we believe will help extend the reach of our women’s business,” Thomas told analysts on a recent call recapping the company’s results for the third quarter ended Nov. 2.
West of Melrose for the fall included basics such as $29.99 ribbed bodysuits, $49.99 wide-legged pants and cargo style joggers, $34.99 midi skirts and a mix of totes, wallets and other accessories.
CMO Addition
The new line will work in tandem with the retailer’s new head merchant.
Tilly’s in September brought on Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer Tricia Smith, a former Nordstrom executive who oversaw women’s, young contemporary and specialty apparel.
Thomas noted on the analyst call, “She is already beginning to identify opportunities for improvement,” saying the merchandise mix should become “more targeted and carefully edited” as Smith puts her touch on the assortment. That will likely also include bringing new brands into the store, he said.
Holiday Sales Goals
Same-store sales for the company have remained flat to positive for, what is now, 14 straight quarters with the November period coming in at 3.1%. Comparable sales in the current quarter are projected to rise 2% to 5%, according to the company.
Tilly’s also said it expects net sales in the current quarter to be in the range of $179 million to $184 million with earnings of $8.7 million to $9.6 million.
