I am familiar with the line “most popular purse this season”. I like it when they say that because it gives me the opportunity to say “well then that will be the purse I am NOT going to buy because EVERYONE else has one like t”.
The reason a clerk comments on what the customer is perusing is that he wants to engage the customer in a conversation. During that conversation, the customer might reveal the need she is trying to fulfil.
Nothing wrong with that.
And it's not high pressure.