Macy's will offer 'O Oscar' apparel

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Sep 20, 2006 | by Cotten Timberlake Bloomberg News

Federated Department Stores Inc., the second-biggest U.S. department-store company, will introduce an exclusive collection of women's sportswear produced by Oscar de la Renta Ltd. and Kellwood Co. for its expanded Macy's chain.

The collection, called "O Oscar," will appear in Macy's starting in 2007, the companies said in a statement Tuesday. Prices will range from $199 to $229 for jackets, $99 to $139 for skirts and $79 to $99 for pants, they said.

Federated is trying to draw customers to its more than 800 Macy's with exclusive lines that include a women's apparel collection from designer Elie Tahari and home furnishings by Martha Stewart. The Cincinnati-based retailer is also selling more of its own apparel brands, such as INC and Alfani.

The "O Oscar" line will appear in 150 stores starting in February and later will expand to as many as 450 stores, Federated spokesman Jim Sluzewski said in an e-mail.

The line will include dresses, sweaters, shirts and knit tops. The styles will be feminine and include ruffled blouses, and eyelet and embroidered dresses, Sluzewski said. De la Renta said in the statement that he hopes to expand the label to accessories, a fragrance and men's clothing.

Oscar de la Renta Ltd., based in New York, makes ready-to-wear apparel, accessories, fragrances, bridal goods and home furnishings. St. Louis-based Kellwood produces mid-priced men's, women's and children's clothes under brands including Calvin Klein and Sag Harbor.

The two companies had launched an "O Oscar" line in 2004 to sell to various department store chains, then withdrew it in late 2005, said Corina Taylor, a Kellwood spokeswoman.

"After conducting consumer research, we pulled the product off the market and repositioned it for the better market," Taylor said.