Tyte Turns to Tweens
4whatitsworth, maker ofjunior denim label Tyte and Etoile Blue, has jumped on the tweens bandwagon with a new division, Tyte Kids.
Tyte owner Alden Halpern, who recently added collections that cater to tall juniors as well as large-size women, said the Commerce, Calif.-based company decided to start the division as a result of its ability to manufacture more products. “Our capabilities are four times what we’re doing right now. We have the production facilities; now we want to fill markets where there is a void,” Halpern said.
The company tested a small tween collection before deciding to launch a full kids’ line for Holiday 2001. The collection, targeted at girls aged 7 to 16, is a pint-size version of the brand’s junior collection. The collection includes novelty denim and twill styles.
“We don’t redesign fashion—it’s about fit,” Halpern said.
Both lines will be sold at department stores including Federated, Robinsons-May and Zootopia, with wholesale price points ranging between $5.50 and $11.
Halpern said his company is working on a slow growth plan. “The company is going for markets that it can be innovative in and be a pioneer [in] as opposed to being a follower.” —Claudia Figueroa
