New Ownership for Biatta Intimates
Secret Fashion Inc.—which produces the lingerie brands Biatta Intimates, Peeping Tom Intimates and Miss Fifi—has been purchased by founding partner Mark Peniasian and new partner Helson Ho.
Peniasian, one of the founders of the 14-year-old company, bought out the other shareholder’s interests.
Amy Berliner, who was previously director of marketing, is now chief operating officer. Under the new ownership, the company restructured its operations and increased its focus on sales and merchandising. Berliner said Biatta plans to introduce a bridal collection and steer the sleepwear collection to more-contemporary styling in Modal fabrications.
Demand for more-contemporary styling has shifted the age range of the Biatta customer from 12 years old and up to 15 years and older. Berliner added that the company plans to add a new line that will reconnect with juniors “specialty stores that are looking for a special niche in the marketplace that not everyone offers.”
The Biatta brand is known for its seamless collection in bright, fun colors and novelty prints and is the most sophisticated of the three brands. For Spring 2008, Biatta’s punchy yellow mesh with flocked polka dots accommodates a wide age range.
Miss Fifi’s dainty floral-print baby-doll top trimmed with red gingham ruffles skews younger.
Peeping Tom is for the edgier juniors customer, and Miss Fifi targets cute girls looking for comfortable styles.
Wholesale price points for Biatta, Peeping Tom and Miss Fifi bras in stretch-nylon, lace and cotton fabrications range from $5 to $6.50, and underwear runs from $1.75 to $2.50.
Berliner estimates that 70 percent of Secret Fashion Inc.’s business is private label and 30 percent is branded. “Our core customer is definitely Victoria’s Secret, Bootlegger, JCPenney, Mervyn’s and Federated,” Berliner said. “I think our goal would be to increase by two large [chain-store] clients versus a dollar goal. I think a lot of people focus on the volume. You can be a $20 million company and not profitable.” —Rhea Cortado
