 Getting your spring wardrobe selected and into your closet well in advance of the season just got easier, thanks to Etcetera (Casuals Etcetera, Inc.). Tthe contemporary women’s clothing line launched its 2009 spring collection in 45 states. Etcetera is known for providing chic, everyday wear to busy, fashionable women via a direct sales, personalized shopping experience. And the 2009 spring collection, which can be previewed at www.etcetera.com, is no exception.
The new collection can be characterized as an homage to color, featuring sassy sparks of heat and saucy takes on serene, ranging from lemon yellow and hot pink to sky blue and peony. In all, Etcetera’s designers have come up with over 300 unique pieces that work both together and separately to give women the most exciting wardrobe possible for their money. The new collection is now available via appointment-only trunk shows in consultants’ homes across the country.
“Given the current economy, women are focused on buying only the essentials this season,” says Mary Alice Heape, Etcetera President. “The spring line lets clients either enhance their existing wardrobes with a few must-haves or build out a more robust wardrobe by refreshing the basics. Some women are coming to us for that one signature piece that updates their wardrobe in one fell swoop. This is possible because our current and past collections work together to wisely expand a woman’s closet, saving her time and money. ”
Through its direct sales business model, Etcetera is able to offer couture-level clothes to women at half the price of retail stores. Indeed, the line is proving to be more relevant than ever to clients who demand quality & want a comfortable, personalized way of shopping not offered by traditional stores. In fact, as brick-andmortar stores go by the wayside, direct sales fashion – estimated to be a $30.8 billion industry by the Direct Selling Association – is experiencing a renaissance, with further growth expected. By comparison, Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Research Group, recently forecasted that, "by the end of 2009, the number of retail players will be down by at least 25%."
Direct sales firms like Etcetera say that tough economic times are increasing not only their revenue, but also their sales force. Here’s why: more and more professional women are looking for a better work/life balance and potential six-figure income, which only a handful of direct sales opportunities, including Etcetera, afford. Indeed, working with the company represents career nirvana for many busy women looking to “off ramp” into more flexible, non-traditional careers. The Connaught Group, which owns the Etcetera line, has a proven 28-year track record providing their wardrobe consultants with the ongoing training and necessary support to properly launch them in the industry.
“This is a career for an organized, natural networker with a passion for building her ownbusiness,” Heape adds. “Many of our wardrobe consultants left successful professional careers in finance, law, real-estate, sales and marketing that were highly structured in favor of working with Etcetera. They simply wanted more control over their time and lives.”
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