New Orleans-based Pippen Lane Emporium Debuts Namesake Playwear Line

Retailer Taps Industry Experts to Roll Out Colorful Wholesale Collection for Spring `12

Veteran retailer, Anna Beth Goodman, launches Pippen Lane Collection, a line of fun, funky playwear and dresses with New Orleans flair. Driven by her customers’ needs and a desire to express the charm and personality of her 8,000-square-foot Pippen Lane boutique, Goodman has developed a buyer-friendly line that’s cheerful and appealing in layette through infant for boys and up to size 12 for girls. To ensure its success, Goodman has assembled an elite group of children’s wear experts to manage every aspect of the business from production to sales to customer service.

“My store has been in business for 12 years, and I’ve come to realize how many people know and love it, which gives the line instant name recognition and has created excitement surrounding the Pippen Lane Collection wholesale launch,” Goodman stated, adding you’ll see her experience as a retailer and buyer in every facet of the collection. “After years of catering to my customers, I know what they’re looking for. So I’m mindful of things like comfort, fabrics and fit. For instance, my customers have been telling me they want more color. As a result, the line is practical yet colorful.”

The Pippen Lane Collection has distinctly Southern roots, which is most recognizable through the use of bright hues, feminine bodies and iconic New Orleans imagery. But because Goodman splits her time between Louisiana and California and shops coast to coast, her designs also have balance and broad appeal. For baby, layette groupings feature understated fleur de lis, bee, crown and bear embroidery on solid pink, blue and white lettuce-edge footies, polo shortalls, skirted one-pieces and blankets. The line’s signature print, a Carnival bead pattern, is rendered in multicolor for girls and blue for boys.

Lively patterns are at the forefront of the girls’ selection. The Cornelia group features sweet lavender buds, while Arabella bursts with bold florals in teal, chartreuse and coral. Peacock screenprints and Swiss dot textures add additional character to the line. Separates abound with an array of rompers, capris, shorts, tunics and ruffle tees as well as a variety of dress options including drop-waist, tiered ruffles and flutter-sleeve A-lines.

“Once I had the creative vision for the Pippen Lane Collection, I wanted to assemble the best team possible. Thanks to technology, we live in an age that has allowed me to do just that. This is a truly global company,” said Goodman, referring to her design, management and production capabilities. “I just want the line to be easy for retailers. I know what aggravates me as a buyer so my goal is to use my retail experience and make this line easy and appealing for buyers.”

From the start, Goodman has worked closely with Stratford, Connecticut-based Christine McCarthy, head of Christine McCarthy Sales Management (CMSM, LLC), to lay the foundation for a successful launch. Throughout her 14-year career in retail buying and sales, McCarthy has built strong industry contacts, enabling her to recommend top industry consultants, many of whom she’s worked closely with in the past. The Pippen Lane team includes Regina Salinas of San Francisco as Customer Service Manager and Los Angeles-based Sheila Bellomy as Production Manager. The network also includes a graphic designer in New York, an eco-friendly warehouse in Idaho and production in Peru, India, China, Chile and the U.S.

Goodman also relied on McCarthy to handpick the Pippen Lane Collection sales team based on their experience and their reputations for exceeding customer-service expectations. The collection has been placed with the following sales reps: Bill and Sandie Ellsworth for New England, Mike Spiegel for the Southeast, Ken and Paula Gorelik for the Midwest, Jill Griffith of Cultivated Kids for Dallas and the Southwest and Julie Smith for the West Coast. The collection will be delivered from January 15th to March 30th.