K mart's Jacyln Smith Collection: three years old and getting bigger - licensed apparel - Antonini's K mart

Discount Store News, Sept 26, 1988

K mart's Jaclyn Smith Collection: Three Years Old and Getting Bigger

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. -- According to K mart sales data, an estimated 10 million women wear the discounter's exclusive Jaclyn Smith apparel and accessories line.

In just three short years, the Jaclyn Smith line has become the discount apparel success story of the decade, and the man responsible for it is Joseph Antonini.

It was under Antonini's stewardship as president of K mart Apparel Corp. from 1984 to 1986 that a line of apparel bearing Jaclyn Smith's name was conceived, developed and marketed.

But the Jaclyn Smith line was much more than just another discount store private label program.

"It was Joe Antonini's vision that Jaclyn Smith would be the vehicle to improve K mart's image," said Debra Grafton, vice president and general merchandise manager of women's and girls' wear at the apparel division.

The J.S. deal went beyond the actress just signing her name so a label could be slapped on some apparel collections. She is a spokeswoman for K mart, representing the discounter at many events over the years, and lending the nation's top discounter a great deal of credibility.

J.S. apparel debuted at most of the discounter's units in August 1985 and by spring 1986 the sportswear line was in every K mart store.

"I thought . . . that with Jaclyn Smith we would reach that $40,000-to-$50,000-income customer only," said Antonini in 1986. "But that wasn't the case. Every price group and income level is buying that product, and that's why we had to expand it."

Also in that year, Antonini, in talking about the discounter's apparel business in general, said, "We've changed our breadth of assortment and now we cater to a broader range within the same group and we're hitting more customers." He added that "everything then was cheap. Our big short buy was $3.96. Now we have $3.96, $5.96, $9.96 and $12.96."

Today, the K mart customer can find $100 rabbit fur coats, and some Jaclyn Smith items hit $50. J.S. career apparel was added to the sportswear line, and other J.S. products, include fleecewear, sunglasses, hosiery, maternity and handbags.

Grafton, who worked closely with Antonini during his years as president of the apparel division, said that Antonini was "a strong believer in merchandise being presented in an exciting but practical way," and that the merchandise should be "up to date but not fad." She added that he also "created a high level of enthusiasm" within the division.