Macy's unveils teen department

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

At Macy's Ala Moana, sales clerk Emily Oleyer sorts out the trendy fashions of the new teen department. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

On the mall level of Macy's Ala Moana Center store, next to shoes and cosmetics, is a section with its own ambience, more like a club than a department store.

Three huge video screens, rock music, cement floors and those hard-to-miss hot-pink pillars create psychological borders around this teen scene.

The department is called ThIsIt (read it "this is it), and it's Macy's way to attract trend-savvy teens.

Why is Macy's investing 13,650 square feet of space and additional staff in the teen girl market?

Teens are often the first to step out and make a fashion statement, said Rob Smith, Macy's divisional merchandising manager. "We wanted to create a place that's her store, not her mom's."

Smith said ThIsIt focuses on extended sizes, from 1 to 15. Merchandise ranges from casual board shorts to shiny prom dresses.

There are no new lines; the store has just pulled together all of its youth lines (Roxy, J. Lo, Guess, DKNY and XXO are a few) into one location.

At the moment, local designers are not represented. However Smith said they are actively seeking local manufacturers who fit the scene.

The concept for ThIsIt originated on the West Coast, in San Francisco. Macy's will soon test it on the East Coast. Smith said the retailer is planning for two Hawai'i ThIsIt departments, with one also slated for the Pearlridge store.

For Macy's top 10 list of wardrobe "must-haves" for teens, log onto www.thisit.com.