Fashion Fix

Korean-born designer has a unique marketing strategy to sell her new line in bad times.

By Michelle Hunter During this economic climate, stores in prominent shopping areas of Boston like the Back Bay and Beacon Hill and individually owned boutiques are shutting down left and right. It seems that stores come and then go, yet for Yuna Yang that's part of her business plan.

"I'm going to try and do a pop-up-store somewhere for a few months," said the 31-year-old designer from South Korea. "If Commes des Garcons [a popular couture line from Paris] were successful at it, it might work for me."

Rick Segel, author of several books on successful retail including "Retail Business Kit for Dummies" and a member of the Boston Retail Association, said that he isn't too familiar with the concept of a pop-up store, but has seen similar marketing strategies over the years. "Everything is about building brands and the closest thing I've ever seen to a pop-up store is what IKEA used to do in Manhattan," said Segel. "They would put stores up, which would act as like a catalog, but it was more of a way to advertise than anything."

With just nine months of experience in Boston and a new fashion line YUNAYANG just launching, Yang is optimistic even in the worst of times that with a well-designed fashion label plus a good strategy that she could still find success. "I created the clothing line about a year ago before I knew what would be happening to the economy," said Yang.

Yang's Spring/Summer and Pre-Fall 2009 line is full of rich colors, plush textures and fancy evening wear and is anything but representative of recessionary times. "It seems to be very old-Hollywood glamour inspired," said Britney Rothweiler, head women's buyer for the Tannery in Cambridge. "There is a lot of work put in to each piece and some of it even looks hand done."

Recently back from a trip to Korea, Yang has already picked out fabrics and completed designs for Fall / Winter 2010 and she has taken economic factors as more of an important consideration this time around. Yang's current collection is being made in Seoul because it is cheaper. But because of the recession, some of the better New York City clothiers in the Garment District who wouldn't normally accept a job making a new clothing line are willing to take her business.

One of the struggles the new designer is facing, besides adjusting to a new life in Cambridge since moving in with her husband, is that the price range of her pieces is not exactly falling in the category of most Boston stores. "My prices range from $600 to $700," Yang said. "I think most stores like pieces to come in around the $400 to $500 range."

In the midst of trying to get her line out there and figure out the location of her pop-up store, Boston or New York City, Yang must focus on selling her clothes. But, so far, Yang has had some positive response. She has clients who come to her home and she fits them privately and she is gearing up for her pop-up store. "I think that the pop-up store will give me exposure, but I will not be locked in to anything for too long," said Yang. "Especially right now, there is so much empty retail space in Boston shopping areas."

Rothweiler, who said the Tannery has maintained a steady flow of shoppers, has seen many well-established clothing lines fold under harsh economic times. "I think it's an amazing idea for her to do a pop-up store," said Rothweiler. "She can see how the traffic reacts. Plus, I think it gets a buzz created about your store, and then when you go away people are like 'where did it go?'" Segel agrees, but his experience leads him to believe that Yang has to play it smart. "It has to be a high-traffic area," Segel said. "It might work if you want to use each store as a billboard, but since the store is closing there will be some negative connotation."

Yang understands the fashion market well. She realizes there may be more potential success for her line in the New York City market. Over the next couple months, Yang will spend the time looking for the right place for a pop-up store and will continue to develop her line and make the clothes more marketable.