‘Geisha’ shoes? Only if they’re classy

For years, marketers have struggled to translate the fantasy power of their films into sales at fashionable boutiques and department stores. They’ve sanctioned vivid yellow overcoats from “Dick Tracy,” frilly cancan skirts from “Moulin Rouge!” and blue gemstone pendants from “Titanic.” Now, marketers are at it again, this time filled with hope that “Memoirs of a Geisha” has what it takes to sell pricey shoes, beauty products, holiday finery and even tea. In return, they’re betting that the association with upscale glamour will inspire consumers to see the film.

Work was still under way on the movie version of Arthur Golden’s bestselling novel when executives at Sony Pictures met with an array of fashion and beauty companies to create tie-ins that are notably more sophisticated than most. By the time “Geisha” arrives in theaters this Friday, shoppers may have already encountered products designed to reflect the geisha mystique, and also build buzz for the film.

The connections between the movie and the products may not be readily apparent to some shoppers, however.

Earlier this fall, Banana Republic launched a limited-edition collection of Asian-inspired holiday wear that shares the film’s color palette and is heavy on the kimono sleeves, but lacks any vintage feel. Fresh has developed six bath, body and cosmetic products that are intended to suggest a geisha’s beauty ritual -- if she were to abandon most of her traditional makeup scheme.

Icon, the company that transfers famous artwork onto shoes, put photo-print reproductions of abstract “Geisha” images onto shoes and leather goods -- but don’t strain yourself trying to match the pictures to the film. The Republic of Tea has reissued the “Memoirs of a Geisha” cherry blossom-scented tea bags that were offered at Barnes & Noble when the novel came out eight years ago. The new tin features an image of star Ziyi Zhang as the legendary geisha Sayuri.

But never mind that most of the items have only the vaguest connection to the geisha life so artfully detailed in the book and depicted in the movie. Unlike many other merchandising tie-ins that aim to market a movie with logo-laden collectibles, the “Geisha” products are supposed to expand the moviegoing experience by adding scent, taste and touch.

If the film is a hit, the silk dresses and handbags might become tangible reminders of an arty experience -- and a template for future upscale movie tie-ins. But the odds of selling hundreds of thousands of dance skirts or corsets aren’t good.

History shows that movies can inspire occasional fashion trends -- almost always after release, not before. Tom Cruise and Arnold Schwarzenegger found fans clamoring for the sunglasses they wore in “Risky Business” and “The Terminator,” respectively. The chain and pearl necklace Rene Russo wore in “Tin Cup” inspired a host of imitators. Occasionally, Vogue may publish a few on-set photos (as it did recently with “Geisha”) to highlight a costumer’s work, but rarely to ignite a fashion trend. There’s also the problem that the most awe-inspiring clothes often come from hard-to-copy period dramas, not contemporary tales featuring wardrobes readily available in stores.

Bloomingdale’s is the retail leader in developing film-based promotions that land in stores as movies hit theaters. Yet that chain picks, at most, one movie a year, and then only if portions of its wardrobe amplify current fashion trends, said Kalman Ruttenstein, senior vice president for fashion direction. Last year, Bloomingdale’s used “The Phantom of the Opera” as the theme for holiday windows at two Manhattan stores and for its Phantom Shops at five stores, including the Beverly Center. The movie’s “opulence and romance” mirrored the lacy, Victorian looks then coming into fashion.

Bloomingdale’s has been experimenting with tie-ins for more than 15 years, selling everything from “Dick Tracy” raincoats to “Moulin Rouge!” cancan skirts, but no other major chains have consistently followed its lead. Ruttenstein said the promotions, which have included a guest appearance by “Moulin Rouge!” star Nicole Kidman and 200 cancan dancers, are best at driving traffic to the store, not selling thousands of items.

“Geisha” tells the story of a young girl from a Japanese fishing village who is sold into slavery at a Kyoto geisha house in 1929. She eventually is allowed to become a geisha -- a woman trained in the arts of entertaining men -- and rises to the top of her field. The movie emphasizes that the women are not prostitutes but a classier, more selective and educated kind of escort -- a tantalizing subject for filmmakers and marketers interested in the glamorous, high-design aspects of the geishas’ looks and lives.

Most of the movie-related products were inspired by the geisha’s striking makeup, (which is rendered more subtly in the movie), some recognizable Japanese design motifs and traditional luxuries such as sake, pearls and silk.

Banana Republic skipped over the most notable feature of the movie costumes -- the elaborate kimono patterns and designs. Instead, it decorated select stores with framed images from the movie, created a sweepstakes, and offered a limited-edition collection that includes kimono-style sleeves and the occasional obi-waist dress.

“Our brand is about being a modern fashion brand,” said Chris Nicklo, vice president of Banana Republic’s brand management. “We think they’ll love the wardrobe that [costume designer] Colleen Atwood designed, but we needed something that is modern and wearable today.”

Customers who shop in 37 select Banana Republic stores, including nine in California, won’t see exact reproductions of the fabrics Atwood selected for the characters, nor will they have authentic Japanese styling. They can select from mandarin collar jackets with braid frog closures (a typically Chinese adornment), rayon jersey wrap dresses made in South Korea and cashmere halter tops.

Several styles in the 50-piece Banana Republic collection have sold out since their release in mid-October.

Other merchandise has a more direct link to the story, including the Republic of Tea’s “Memoirs of a Geisha” product, with sencha green tea, cherry essence and label artwork taken from the film. But it’s a far cry from the powdered tea sipped in elaborate rituals in Japanese tea houses.

“The tea ceremony is central to the life of a geisha, and this tea was created in that spirit,” said Marideth Post, spokeswoman at the tea company. “Cherries or cherry blossoms are also indicative of Japan.” The company, she added, aimed for a more easily consumable tea blend and a decorative theme that would resonate well.

In an attempt to mimic the geisha’s beauty ritual, Fresh added “Geisha”-logo items to its established rice and sake beauty products. There are bath and body fragrances, a face cream, powder, a compact and gift sets at the company’s Sunset Boulevard boutique and its website. Fresh is betting heavily on the $25 to $125 items. They’re scheduled to be sold at nearly 500 stores, including Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue, in addition to the 12 international Fresh boutiques. Sales are already “double digit ahead of our expectations,” said Lev Glazman, founder and creative director of Fresh, who added that the “Geisha” fragrance became the company’s No. 4 seller soon after it arrived at its boutiques.

Current sales of the Geisha collection, Glazman said, could be attributed to the lingering effect of the book, which was on bestseller lists for more than a year. Several weeks ago, Glazman enlisted Golden to speak at his New York boutique and sign copies of the book at Fresh’s Boston store.

Golden’s work, which earned lavish praise for its feeling of authenticity, gave marketers several routes to pursue, many of which were overlooked, however (Where’s the geisha-red lipstick? The fancy hair combs? The kimono-layering look?). Yet hitching your wagon to a movie can be tricky for upscale manufacturers well aware that a bad movie can tarnish their image.

“Frankly, the only reason we agreed to do it from a business standpoint is that Icon has done well with Asian imagery,” said company President Joshua Wilson. “Whether anyone cares about a movie called ‘Memoirs of a Geisha,’ this is one of our strongest selling categories.”

The manufacturers all agree that movie marketing tie-ins are a shrewd, efficient new twist on public relations.

“We don’t have $100-million ad budgets,” said Wilson, “so it’s a way to extend our marketing dollar.”

Yet there’s something odd about using a movie to sell luxury goods.

“I definitely don’t see the high-end customer being motivated to buy by having seen something in a movie,” said Wilson, echoing familiar sentiments in the fashion industry.

The tide could be turning, however. Mikimoto proved that even fine jewelry can sell -- and a brand’s cachet can benefit -- when marketing is done well. The cultured pearl manufacturer and jeweler lent high-quality pearls for use in “Girl With a Pearl Earring” and “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde,” then sponsored screenings and in-store promotions. A few dozen customers at the firm’s boutiques purchased items similar to those in the movies, including versions of the $37,000 double-strand necklace worn by Reese Witherspoon in “Blonde” and $5,000 earrings worn by Scarlett Johansson in “Pearl,” said Yugo Tsukikawa, director of marketing and product strategy at Mikimoto America.

The company also lent one-of-a-kind museum pieces to outfit characters in “Geisha,” but so far, it has no plans to re-create them -- unless, of course, customers come begging for them. After all, fashion has never been shy about borrowing inspiration, cachet or a hot-selling product straight from the silver screen.

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How ‘Geisha’?

To draw attention to the film version of the bestselling novel “Memoirs of a Geisha,” Sony Pictures Entertainment has embarked on a new kind of marketing campaign. Instead

of the usual collectible memorabilia, the arty “Geisha” merchandise is higher concept and higher priced.

What: Limited-edition, 45-piece holiday collection of silky dresses, tops, sweaters and some tasseled accessories.

Price: $38 to $198.

Where: Nine California Banana Republic stores, including Santa Monica, The Grove and Beverly Hills, or www.bananarepublic.com.

Is it “Geisha”?: Sure, a kind of modernized kimono sleeve is featured on swingy dresses, wrap tops and pullover sweaters, but what’s with the Chinese mandarin-collar jacket? It seems logical to promote a historical Japanese drama with Japanese motifs, of which the geisha were rich sources. The connection between the movie, its era, culture and lavish vintage costumes is weak, as are the designs, which rewarm Asian themes that have been filtering through fashion for many seasons lately.

What: “Memoirs of a Geisha” Spring Cherry Green Tea by the Republic of Tea.

Price: $10 for 50 tea bags with sencha tea and peony and paklum flowers.

Where: Select stores where Republic of Tea products are sold and at www.republicoftea.com.

Is it “Geisha”?: The natural cherry essence makes the blend nicely aromatic and a good choice for green tea neophytes who may not appreciate the astringency of authentic sencha. But tossing a teabag into a cup of hot water is a far cry from the elaborate ritual of the Japanese tea ceremony. Still, the label’s photo of Ziyi Zhang as Sayuri hints at the beauty of the geisha.

What: Fresh beauty products, including “Memoirs of a Geisha” eau de parfum, bath with sake, rice face wash, flower petal face mask, soap, cosmetic face palette and shimmer powder with crushed pearl.

Price: $18.50 to $125.

Where: Fresh boutique, 8671 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, or www.fresh.com.

Is it “Geisha”?: Unless you’re into Goth, chances are you’re not going to paint your face like a classic geisha. So the Fresh interpretation of the geisha’s beauty ritual imparts pleasant scents, pleasing skin care routines and a welcome flight of fancy, which may be the most important ingredient in beauty products.

What: Icon shoes, handbags and small leather goods printed with abstracted photos from “Geisha.”

Price: $55 to $425.

Where: www.iconshoes.comand Arthur Beren in Beverly Hills.

Is it “Geisha”?: Icon pioneered the concept of prettifying comfortable shoes by printing them with artwork. Yet the technique often imparts a synthetic-looking finish to this collection of shoes and bags, making them seem more like inexpensive souvenirs than pricey boutique fashion. The many elegant details of Japanese historical costume go begging for interpretation -- how about a silk rope or bamboo handle? Still, the cut-out sides of the ballet flat and the peep-toe sandal give a glimpse into postwar geisha style.

-- Valli Herman