Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 24, 1991 TAG: 9103220277
SECTION: SPRING FASHION PAGE: E-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Tracie Fellers/ Staff writer
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"It was back before Christmas, and a woman came in and wanted a Tommy Hilfiger patriotic sweater, a stars-and-stripes sweater," said Bright, young men's buyer for Roanoke's Leggett stores.
Neither Roanoke store had the sweater in the size the woman wanted - a large. It was ordered and due to arrive by the holiday, but didn't.
Three weeks later, the sweater was mailed to the woman's home in West Virginia. But it was shipped in the wrong size.
There was only one solution left: Bright had to sell her his stars-and-stripes sweater. "I had one of my own at home that hadn't been worn, so she received the one that I had and I got the smaller size," he said.
"Luckily, she got what she needed - a little late, but we got it."
Most retailers haven't had to raid their own wardrobes to provide customers with flag-waving fashions. But many said sales of patriotic clothing have been phenomenal since January.
Whether the trend has peaked is up for debate, but it's certain that the end of the war hasn't diminished the popularity of sweaters, T-shirts, buttons or pins that proclaim pride in America.
Sweaters with flag motifs went over so well at Colors & You, a boutique at Towers Shopping Center and Tanglewood Mall, that they had to be reordered, said co-owner Carolyn Allie. "They've been great for us. Everybody has loved that red, white and blue look," she said.
Ray Crampton, co-owner of T-Shirts Plus in Valley View Mall, said tees that have "anything to do with Desert Storm" have been in demand.
"But in the future what we see is anything that has a flag on it," Crampton said. "We're expecting a shirt to come in that has a flag that wraps all the way around to the back. That's going to be a neat, neat shirt."
At a recent T-shirt show in Orlando, industry insiders said the forecast for patriotic clothes looks bright, Crampton said. They're predicting that "patriotic clothes will continue to sell," he said.
John Wegorzewski, a manager for The Accessory Corp. of America's corporate offices in New York, said TACOA is still selling flag pins and earrings.
"When you look at important dates like Memorial Day, Flag Day and the Fourth of July, which has been designated as an official holiday in celebration of Operation Desert Storm by President Bush, we still see this as an important trend," he said.
TACOA, a Charlotte-based costume jewelry company, shipped orders of flag pins, earrings and other jewelry with patriotic themes to stores nationwide in January. The company is pledging 10 cents from each sale of these pieces to the American Red Cross.
"I project that the check will be in excess of $10,000 that will go to the Red Cross," Wegorzewski said. The money will go toward activities associated with Americans who served or are serving in the Gulf, and their families.
CIRO, a New York fashion jewelry company, joined forces with the American Red Cross through the sale of flag pins.
The pins, in 22-karat gold electroplate and red, white and blue enamel, are available in two sizes:. The smaller is modeled on the original American flag designed by Betsy Ross; the larger replicates the modern flag.
All profits from the sale of the pins, which retail for $20 and $30 each, will be donated to the American Red Cross to help troops and their families. In addition, CIRO is donating 10 percent of its February profits from all jewelry sales to the Red Cross.
The pins can be purchased by calling (800) 477-4337. A $4.50 postage and handling charge is to telephone orders.
"It's really been a wonderful program," said Andrea Shapiro, CIRO marketing and public relations manager. "People do feel like they want to make a contribution and it's a wonderful way to do it.
by CNB