Maine’s retail industry could see potential effect from trade tariffs
Photo / TIM GREENWAY
Alice Yardley, namesake of Alice Yardley Maine, opened a store at 99 Exchange St. in the Old Port to showcase her handbag designs.
Alice Yardley, namesake of Alice Yardley Maine, a handcrafted leather brand, believes that the fashion industry is constantly “evolving.”
As many companies continue outsourcing overseas production, more people are interested in locally made goods and “slow” fashion. Customers continue to be interested in how products are made, who makes them and what they represent.
In March 2024, Yardley opened a storefront at 99 Exchange St. She is working as a one-woman show and trying to figure out how to increase production without losing quality.
Like many companies, Yardley told Mainebiz that the possible tariffs could impact her ability to get some of the leather she’s used before, making her products more expensive. Yardley says all her handbag hardware is made in the U.S.
Domestic leather is trickier to find; a lot of times, the place where she purchased the leather isn’t where the leather originated, and that’s where trade tariffs could affect some retailers and manufacturers, Yardley says.
“I buy a lot of remnant leather from leather distributors in the Garment District in New York City, but all of those pieces come from tanneries all over the world,” says Yardley. “Either way, I buy about 75% of my leather as scraps/remnants, one-off pieces, or pieces with embossment or dye errors. This makes me pretty flexible when it comes to where I source my leather from.
“Even if I’m getting some of my leather remnants locally, those distributors may have fewer things to choose from or have a more difficult time getting certain leathers from abroad,” she notes.
Yardley says that she believes 2025 will continue to bring in customers who ask about sustainability and want a custom product or experience.
“I just opened up my larger brick-and-mortar store in the Old Port in March, so I’m looking forward to spending 2025 figuring out the retail patterns throughout the entire calendar year,” says Yardley. “I’m always looking to expand my knowledge of leather working and design, invest in a few new pieces of production equipment, streamline the digital landscape of the business, and create at least a few new styles to keep in the shop.”
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