Plus sizes making big impact on private label lines

Discount Store News, April 1, 1997

Plus sizes has come into its own as a vehicle for fashion in the discount channel. Brand suppliers have kept pace with consumers' demands for better plus-size goods. Now, as mass merchandisers organize their private label assortments more adroitly, they are including more plus-size interpretations of their key house labels.

Examples of better-executed private label plus-size apparel are visible at virtually every chain.

In addition to showing a major portion of its private label careerwear Kathie Lee Collection in the plus-size department, Wal-Mart runs a fixture for each of its captive brands, White Stag and Catalina. Wal-Mart also includes denim-friendly plus-size items in the department, a portion of them in the Faded Glory proprietary label.

The Bobbie Brooks private label has come back in a big way in the Wal-Mart plus-size mix, with key items including 50/50 poly/cotton pucker and waffle knit tops, $10.94, and related slacks in solid, floral and stripe styles, $12.94.

The Kathie Lee Plus line shows items such as long skirts in 60/50 poly/rayon featuring big floral prints, $21.96. These are merchandised with related basic tops in polyester, $14.96, and fashion rayon tops, $19.96. The line also includes solid basic 50/50 poly/rayon slacks $19.96 with a fashion print fabric belt, and stretch slacks, $16.96, on sale for $12.

To offer an all-natural option, Wal-Mart posts its Silk Exchange plus-size items on the feature fixture at the corner of the department. The display includes textured tops and slacks in pastels for $16.94.

Plus sizes at Kmart range from extensions of the Jaclyn Smith line, in dressy related separates, to an array of house label Route 66 in T-shirts, embroidered jersey tops and five-pocket jeans at $16.99.

Target pays tribute to its plus-size customers not only in its traditional private label program Honors but also in two house lines with sharper trend direction: the recently developed Cherokee direct license and the Xhilaration house label.

Fashion basics is what Target does best, such as the embroidered Cherokee T-shirts in seven colors at $12.99. Cherokee cotton print dresses in two styles, $22.99, and vests in five country prints, $17.99, are among the items currently featured. Bottoms include jeans and slacks at $21.99.

The Cherokee position is denim-friendly, active-influenced sportswear. Target injects more juniors-oriented, street-driven styles into plus sizes with Xhilaration.

Caldor is one of the regional chains with a direct license for Cherokee. The retailer is using the label to good effect in plus sizes, with selections including all-cotton scoop neck T-shirts in solids and floral prints, $9.99, solid plaid all-cotton jumpers, $19.99; and pique polo tops in five colors, $12.99. The chain offers Cherokee short-sleeve sweaters in braid or rib, $24.99.

Caldor also has fixtures full of plus-size goods under its home-grown private label, Fresno. These include denim shirts at $16.99 and thermal tunics in denim-friendly stripes and solids, $17.99.

At Hills Stores, private label items in women's sportswear are translated into plus size with the magical application "For Her."

Two examples in use for spring assortments are Workable Separates For Her and Spring Harbor For Her. For fall, Hills may introduce a new label or two. Last fall Alpine Express was used in a similar way.

The customers pick up on the size designation without feeling they are being marketed to solely on the basis of weight. "For Her" sounds more feminine and is more appealing than "Plus."

The important thing is to communicate fashion and the fact that the store cares enough to deliver attractive apparel that fits well within a branding package that remains sensitive to one's self-image.

The attention these discounters pay to private label plus sizes benefits them in two ways. The house labels articulated into a consistent presence across more departments, take on greater significance to shoppers. At the same time, the plus-size assortments look, feel and sell better by being up to date with overall fashion trends.

Over the long run, the investment today in bringing better styling into extended sizes could pay off as competition stiffens and discounters must defend their dominant share of plus-size apparel.