The Revolution of Rising Expectations
By Miriam Furman, contributing editor

A commercially successful Halloween is usually the result of a confluence of favorable factors: a weekend holiday, hot licenses, favorable economic climate and the most unpredictable factor of all — the mood of consumers.

Suppliers say that the prognosis for Halloween 2004 looks promising. Halloween will be a Sunday, there are a number of horror and adventure movies in the pipeline for the upcoming year, and suppliers say their retailer customers have bought lightly for the last few years and are ready to restock.

Observers also note that it seems that adults are in the mood to do more than proffer candy on trick-or-treaters. They are holding more parties and dressing up more — even if they don’t have a party in the offing.

They are devoting more time and attention to their costumes and they are looking for better designs, better materials, and more interesting themes in adult costumes.

Halloween suppliers are listening to their customers. Funny costumes, couples costumes, licensed costumes and sexier, sophisticated, better-quality versions of classics are among the trends apparent in the upcoming season’s offerings. Designers and Halloween celebrants are taking Halloween costumes more seriously — and, ironically, taking a more “fun” approach to these costumes.

“Costumes are becoming sexier,” says Barry Shapiro, president of The Paper Magic Group, and Ryan Rothschild, president of Pony Express Creations notes that even Halloween classics — witches, for example — must offer humor and styling to appeal to today’s Halloween celebrant.

Robert Berman, president, Rasta Imposta, reports that his firm’s costumes, many of which transform their wearers into outsized mundane household objects — to humorous effect — have been extremely successful and that he is extending his line. Among his popular staples are a banana, ketchup and beer bottle, and in 2004 Rasta is adding a cheeseburger, a turkey and a lime to the costume line. The lime can be used as a complement to two other costumes already in the Rasta collection — a salt shaker and a tequila bottle. Couples costumes include a lock and key and a ball and chain.

Pony Express Creations’ Rothschild notes the popularity of couples costumes. Among those offered by Pony Express are Cleopatra and Pharoah and, in licensed characters, the leads from Grease. Fun World is offering an Adam and Eve ensemble, packaged together.

Suppliers agree that Americans are devoting more time and attention to planning their costumes, and they want better-looking costumes that make the wearer look attractive. Michelle Oumano, Franco-American Novelty Co., notes that regal and Renaissance looks — influenced by the popularity of Lord of the Rings — are particularly popular currently and that these styles are flattering to the wearer.

Disguise is offering adult costumes of Disney heroines Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White. The company’s executive vice president of licensing, Steve Stanley, notes that any of these can be paired with the firm’s Prince Charming to create an ideal couples’ costume. For adults who opt for a plush costume, there is Garfield, which also comes in child and infant versions.

Kid’s Adventures
In both licensed and non-licensed costumes, there appears to be adventure and horror ahead for children. Suppliers are offering a number of pirate costumes for children in recognition of the popularity of seafaring tales like Pirates of the Caribbean and Master and Commander.

And horror seems in the offing with the upcoming debut of Van Helsing, a Universal Studios release slated for spring. It features a monster hunter and classic Universal monsters such as Frankenstein, WolfMan, and Dracula and is expected to spur demand for these characters with boys. “The costumes won’t be the traditional ones,” says Howard Beige, Rubie’s executive vice president. “This Dracula has wings, is less human-figured and looks more like a bat-type animal.”

Disguise is banking on several new Spider-Man costumes, including one that will glow in the dark, when the Marvel Comics’ sequel movie debuts July 2. “We saw strong sell-through after the first movie in 2002,” says Steve Stanley, “and there will be phenomenal retailer support for costumes from the sequel.”

Kids’ interest in horror is reflected in a new costume for SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon) by Disguise called “FrankenBob,” which features a SpongeBob with bloodshot eyes and green skin like a monster’s.

Animated films and cartoons on television generate interest in fantasy-inspired, humorous-looking costumes for boys, another popular category. Shark Tales by Dreamworks, debuting October 1, should generate interest in Rubie’s shark-with-human-attributes costumes. For girls, Disguise is bringing out a slightly wacky, fashion-forward Wanda Fairy costume from The Fairly Odd Parents, the number one-rated television show among 2 to 11 year-olds, says Stanley. For boys, there’s Crimson Chin, a muscle-man costume featuring a big, red chin also based on a character from Fairly Odd Parents.

The belief that many girls still want to look pretty is behind Disguise’s new line of Disney Princess Ballerina costumes, also tied into new doll lines from Mattel and Playmates. There are separate ballerina costumes for Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Tinkerbell. Coordinating capes, slippers and hosiery are sold separately.

Rubie’s is offering a fanciful line of fairy costumes for girls, and “Talkies,” costumes with a voice box, an interactive feature appealing to young children. The costume talks when the voice box is pressed.

Plush animal costumes are gaining momentum in the toddler and baby costume markets, with Fun World expanding its plush animal costume offerings for toddlers and launching a line of cotton fabric animals, princesses, lady bug and bumble-bee costumes for babies in sizes 6 to 24 months, reports Alan Geller, vice president.