California Apparel News

For women, size does matter when it comes to clothing and looking good.

Those in the market for plus-size apparel often complain that the clothes they buy are simply “super-sized” without thought as to shape or fit. And, when the fashions are stylish, they are often costly.

CurvyClothes.com, a North Hollywood, Calif.-based e-tailer, aims to shed the niche’s frumpy image by giving larger women fashion-forward options and even change the way they think of themselves.

Launching April 19, the venture is one between best friends Jan Caplan, a former marketing and promotions veteran with DDB Worldwide, and Paulette Peterson, a Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising graduate and former costume designer with Disneyland. The issue is a personal one for Caplan, who’s a size 16.

“I hate to say plus-size. I’m curvy,” she said. “Just because you’re not a size eight, people think you’re a big fat slob.”

Incorporating stretch fabrics and modern trends, the duo has created a 13-piece Spring/Summer line of casual and career clothing in sizes 14 to 22. Ruffled and wrap dresses in animal-prints, off-the-shoulder dresses made of linen/cotton blends, silk chiffon jacket-and-skirt suits, wool crepe blazers with colorful buttons and trims, and flat-front pants in stretch-twill and cotton blends are among the items in the collection. The Web site will also feature camisoles and pre-shrunk terry cloth athletic sets with lace-trim deep-V-neck tops. Price points will range from $49 to $175.

Caplan, who dug into her savings to launch Curvy Clothes, said she chose the Internet as her sales channel to quickly get the business running without having to rely on outside funding. She also believes it’s a powerful tool to connect with her customer and make a statement.

“I plan to do follow-up calls with customers thanking them for their orders and asking what their needs are to generate constant feedback,” she said. “I also want Curvy Clothes to be a place of support, so we’ll have a message board for women to meet other women like themselves and make a connection.”

The Web site will feature clothing worn by plus-size models and offer free shipping on orders of $100 or more and no-hassle returns, said Caplan. She’s optimistic that she can ring up nearly $1 million in sales in her first year with the help of a marketing campaign that includes planned stories on local news broadcasts as well as a Web push involving affiliate programs with Google, AOL and other top online search engines.

Industry experts say the market is there to tap. Most American women wear a size 14 or larger.

“Manufacturers are stepping up to the plate and are recognizing that not every women is a size two,” said Karen Koza, the director of marketing for the American Apparel and Footwear Association. “Regardless of their size, women want to look fashionable and want flattering clothes.”

Retailers, as well, have noticed the trend.

Large-size retailer Lane Bryant has gotten a makeover, projecting a sexier image with sleek campaigns and hosting fashion show concerts with the rock group Kiss. Charming Shoppes, which owns conservative plus-size chain Catherine’s and trendier Fashion Bug Plus, purchased Lane Bryant last year, and analysts project the company is poised for continued growth.

Also, Nordstrom began a partnership in 2000 with plus-size model Emme to carry her collection of clothing on its Web site.

According to market researcher NPDFashionworld, women’s plus-size clothing sales in 2001 were $17.3 billion, a 12 percent decline from 2000, which is attributed to a tough retail apparel environment where companies were forced to discount heavily. On the bright side, sales of women’s plus-size apparel are growing three times faster than those for overall women’s apparel, say analysts.

In addition, while plus-size apparel sales decreased at department stores and national chains last year, the e-commerce and direct mail sales channel grew by 13 percent, reports NPDFashionworld.

Not everyone, however, has found apparel sales success online. Wal-Mart.com removed apparel from its site a year ago, and Bluelight.com, the Kmart Corp. Web site, also eliminated most apparel from its site except for baby clothes and patriotic-themed clothing.

Web-only retailers, including Bluefly Inc. and Fashionmall.com, have also struggled.

Aubie Goldenberg, a partner in the retail and consumer products group of Ernst & Young, said it’s a bold move for a new company to begin online.

“The building of a brand at this time solely on the Internet is a risky proposition,” he said, noting that those who have been successful already have an established brand.

Caplan believes that with her future goal of offering jewelry, shoes, hosiery and accessories on the site with affiliate vendors, she’ll create a convenient shopping destination for her customers and ensure the business’s longevity.

“We plan to be a one-stop shop, which will only add value to our site,” she said.