Digital Compilation by Isabelle Cardinal
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Clothes Encounters of the First Kind
By Sacha Cohen, March & April 2005
Finally, ladies: hot new fashions that aren’t aimed at teens
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Too old for hip-huggers but you wouldn't be caught dead in
animal-print stretch pants? You're not alone. Style-conscious
women 45 and older often have to choose clothes that are either
too frumpy or too Britney. But now savvy
retailers—including Target and the Gap—are
introducing new lines that not only look good but are designed
for older-than-35 bodies.
It's a concept that's way overdue. Women 45 to 54 spend
about $23.3 billion a year on apparel, according to NPD Group, a
market research firm; yet they're largely ignored by
youth-obsessed retailers. Now, however, retailers have realized
their fashion faux pas: these women, many in their prime earning
years, have a greater need for professional and casual clothes.
They're women like Joan Morgan, 51, executive director of a
Washington, D.C., foundation. Morgan wants comfort: a forgiving
waistline or a flowing jacket—the type of clothes she's
found at Chico's, the popular women's clothing chain that
has captured about 9 percent of the female baby boomer market. As
for stores like the Gap and Banana Republic, many women like
Morgan say the clothes are too fitted, too shaped, and too young.
"These women may not want extreme fashion, but they still
want style, fit, and quality," says Anne Brouwer of the
retail consulting firm McMillan/Doolittle.
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Nondowdy fashions are what the Gap plans to offer at its new
chain of specialty apparel stores geared to women 35 and older.
The company won't reveal the chain's name, but it plans
to roll out 10 stores in 2005. They'll include several
categories of clothes, from weekend wear to office outfits.
"I think they plan to use the hipness of the Gap brand,
which appeals very well across generations, while still focusing
on clothing more appropriate for boomers," explains James
Chung, president of Reach Advisors, a Boston-based market
strategy and research firm.
Other retailers are following the Gap's example. In late
2004, kids' clothier Gymboree launched Janeville, aimed at
women 35 and older who "value modern styling, comfort, and
individuality." More than 14 stores had already opened by
the end of 2004. Target's new Linden Hill line is for
sophisticated 40-to-60-year-old women who want a chic, casual
look. "It's body-forgiving and body-enhancing,"
promises Target. For men the chain offers its casual Breakwater
line, inspired by upscale brands like Perry Ellis and Tommy
Bahama. Both brands are priced at $10 to $30 per item,
significantly less than the lines they're based on.
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