Felina Launches Sleepwear
Sophisticated and romantic foundations lingerie has been the cornerstone of Chatsworth, Calif.–based Felina for 25 years. For Fall 2008, parent company Piege is expanding Felina’s European-inspired style and sister line, Jezebel’s sexy, fun attitude to a broader audience with the soft launch of a new sleepwear division. A full-scale collection launch is planned for Spring 2009.
Both Felina and Jezebel’s lingerie collections have included coordinating camisoles, chemises and Modal loungewear pants for more than five years, according to Felina’s Vice President of Sales Linda AuBuchon. The decision to plunge into a new sleepwear division, complete with its own design team, was a combination of retailer requests and the company’s overall growth goals, AuBuchon said.
“The process in terms of where we see our future is in brand. Approximately 60 percent [of our business] is private label; 40 percent is brand,” AuBuchon said. “We see a huge opportunity in branded goods, especially designer branded goods. Even though Jezebel is a lower price point [than Felina], it is at regular price and in the designer department. So it’s never on sale, and that makes a big difference to most retailers.”
Both Felina and Jezebel lingerie are sold at Macy’s, Dillards and nearly 600 specialty stores nationwide. The more-sophisticated Felina is also sold at Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor. Retail price points for Felina range from $34 to $44 for bras and from $15 to $32 for coordinating panties. Retail price points for Jezebel bras range from $22 to $29 and coordinating panties are priced from $9 to $17.
Felina’s new sleepwear design team flies in tandem with the lingerie line’s sophisticated European mood and use of sensually sheer European laces and intricate embroideries.
The rich eggplant and teal hues in fine transparent lace seen on a Felina bra and panty set are echoed in airy baby-doll chemises in the sleepwear line. Jezebel lingerie will add its punchy fashion colors to the sleepwear sales floor. The line’s playful edge is interpreted into sleepwear, such as turquoise lace leggings with contrasting lavendar lace trim on the waist and ankles.
Other groups “hit all the bases” for each delivery, offering everything from animal prints trimmed with bright lace to “at home” comfort sleepwear. AuBuchon noted that with a broad assortment of groups, it is less likely that every store will have the same merchandise.
Brand building
To stay competive, Felina makes a point to differentiate from other brands through its distinct fashion colors and dense details. In the basics category, where invisible T-shirt bras rule, the company finds a point of difference. Felina introduced its high-tech “Hint of Skin” bras, which are tagless and completely seamless, made from one single piece of bonded material.
“There’s no point with designer competing with moderate, so if you’re going to bring seamless to market, it needs to have a great technology behind it. And things like Hint of Skin have that technology; otherwise, it’s just another seamless bra,” AuBuchon said.
That eye toward innovation is exactly what retailers wanted in a sleepwear line and what Felina was primed to provide.
“Sleepwear is such a big private-label business, what [major retailers] look to the brands for is something that’s very different, that they really can’t do in private label. It needs that brand identity. That helps us because it ties back to a well-known name in foundations and in daywear.”
Specialty-store buyers such as Shelley Chadwick, co-owner and buyer of Chadwick’s of London’s four locations in the San Francisco area, can vouch for Felina’s commitment to quality in the bra world.
“The thing I find impressive about both [Felina and Jezebel] is those bras really fit and are comfortable. hellip; They have bras that meet different needs for different types of clothing,” Chadwick said. She added that customers often come to the store specifically to buy Felina. “Someone can actually go to the Felina range and have a complete wardrobe of bras. The strength is that they have bras in a range for every body type.” Chadwick’s of London stocks a range of middle- to high-end brands such as Cosabella, Hanky Panky, Eberjey, Claire Pettibone, Only Hearts, Betsey Johnson Intimates and BedHead.
As for the sleepwear, Chadwick said Felina’s current offerings of comfortable knit pajamas sell “pretty good.” She elaborates, “I particularly like their rayon items because it’s soft. The hand is so good.”
For more information, call (818) 727-9100 or (800) 272-4800. —Rhea Cortado
