How should Guess work on product range to make a comeback?

After going through a rough patch, US label Guess is making a fresh start, and is in the midst of a rebranding whose results will be visible from the Fall/Winter 2022-23 season. Retviews by Lectra has analysed Guess’s product range, to assess the US label’s positioning in relation to its competitors. In 2021-22, Guess righted its course, its sales growing to $2.59 billion (€2.33 billion), equivalent to a 38.1% increase. A trend that Guess will have to maintain, notably by means of optimising its product range.

“Can Guess rise again from the ashes?” is the question asked by Retviews, underlining how the Los Angeles-based label once thrived on sexy silhouettes featuring denim and leather, its signature glory days looks. Looks that can now chime with the return to a more fun, sensual post-pandemic style, and with the growing popularity of Y2K fashion with the younger generations.

Price-wise, Guess is positioned as the US affordable luxury label with the lowest pricepoints, with an average price of $79 per item, compared to $95 for Coach and $98.50 for Club Monaco.

According to Retviews, Guess could take advantage of its more affordable positioning “to focus the rebranding on Generation Z consumers, who already account for a significant share of the market, and are expected to account for 40% of the global luxury goods market by 2035.”

It also appears that promotions are of “vital importance” for the label founded by the Marciano brothers in the 1980s.

The accessories segment, which includes various loss-leader articles (eyewear and leather goods among them), could feature a higher number of items and be used more extensively by Guess to practice discounts and attract younger consumers, according to Retviews.

Guess’s range is characterised by a unique product mix, with plenty of tops and bottoms, unlike Coach and Tory Burch, which instead favour accessories.

Perhaps Guess’s new collection, which is expected to mark a return to the label’s roots, will include more denim and leather outerwear, suggested Retviews, which also indicated that the label could attract more customers by being more inclusive in terms of the sizes offered. Especially in the men's department, where Guess does not feature 3XL.

Finally, one of the areas in which Guess should focus - and not an inconsequential one - is sustainability, an increasingly important issue among younger consumers. “Although Guess did create a sustainable line, Eco Guess, the label is still lagging behind its competitors, especially when it comes to outerwear,” said Retviews.

How should Guess work on product range to make a comeback?

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