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American pop singer Mariah Carey and Italian designer Donatella Versace (C) and Destiny's Child singer Beyonce Knowles (R) poses for the photographers before the Versace Spring/summer 2004 collection at Milan fashion October 4, 2003

       
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 Wearing masks of former President Carlos Salinas, naked farmers from Veracruz protest outside of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Friday, Sept. 26, 2003, in Mexico City. The farmers were asking the party to return their land that 
the PRI government seized between 1992-1998 in the state of Veracruz.

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In a stagnant economy, there's one apparel niche that continues to grow in both size and market power: the Hispanics. Research shows their buying prowess is only at the beginning. The good news for those apparel companies interested in targeting this group is that few brands or retailers have jumped on the bandwagon just yet, although many have got plans in the works.
             
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The Ohio-based owner of famous lingerie chain Victoria's Secret, Limited Brands Inc, said same-store sales for the five weeks ended October 4 rose eight per cent with total sales climbing to $714.4m from $642.5m last year.

Women's fashion chain Bebe Stores Inc enjoyed a 7.1 per cent jump in September same-store sales and said total sales at its 184 stores in the United States and Canada rose 12.7 per cent to $26.6m from $23.6m last year.

Regional department store group The Bon-Ton Stores Inc posted a 2.7 per cent rise in same-store sales for the five weeks ended October 4, with total sales at its 72 stores up two per cent to $62.8m from $61.5m in 2002.

Leading maternity apparel retailer Mothers Work Inc announced a 7.2 per cent hike in September sales to $41.3m from $38.5m last year and added same-store sales for the period fell 4.7%.




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 Stage Stores Snaps Up Peebles For $167m 
Regional apparel and footwear chain Stage Stores Inc on Tuesday agreed to acquire privately-held retailer Peebles Inc for around $167 million in cash as part of its expansion drive.
The Texas-based company, which operates 373 stores in small and mid-size towns and communities in 13 southern states, will also assume about $47m in debt of the 136-store franchise.
It added in a statement Peebles is based in Virginia and its outlets are scattered across small and mid-sized markets throughout 17 Mid-Atlantic, Southeastern and Midwestern states.
The retailer will also take over Peebles's private label credit card portfolio which it then plans to sell in order to retire debt. Peebles had sales of approximately $311m and net income of around $16.9m in the year to August 2.



 2/6                                
Hot Weather Stifles M&S Clothing Sales
High street giant Marks & Spencer Group Plc on 
Tuesday posted a smaller-than-expected rise in second 
quarter clothing sales as hot weather dampened consumer 
demand. The country's largest fashion retailer said 
total clothing sales for the 11 weeks to September 27 
rose 0.9 per cent year-on-year as it kept its clothing 
market share of 11 per cent for the third consecutive 
quarter.

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         The Canadian Corner
        by   GINETTE PROVOST FLATOW
                          Ginette's Biography 
The Baby Boomers Lingerie 
               Market
WHO ARE THE BOOMERS? ( born 1940 to 1960 )
The Boomers are those who grew up in the decades following World War two. The baby boom as a demographic phenomenon began in 1946, precisely nine months after the end of World War two-and ran for nineteen birth years, ending in 1964.
MARKETERS MUST TARGET BOTH YOUTH AND BOOMERS
As baby boomers age, Canada’s department stores and mass merchants are facing a conundrum : how to zero in on the nitpicky youth demographics, without turning their backs on their core middle-aged female shopper. Regardless of inherent difficulties in doing so, they have to strive to connect with both groups said the VP at the NPD group Canada. That’s because while there are about 275,000 women around the age of 44 in this country, there are only 200,000 female 17 year olds and 150,000 newborn girls. « When you compare them, the market is getting smaller and smaller » while retailers need to focus on youth to ensure longevity, they also have to make sure they don’t turn their backs on the boomers right now , because the new market can’t sustain the square footage that these retailers have.
What will consumers want to buy?
We are an aging society and where retail has done well is selling us comfort. Comfort sells, personal pampering sell…Where is the lingerie company out there that’s telling us that it’s okay to be mature and sexy? It’s not out there. 
The future success of retail is simple : FOLLOW THE MONEY, and secondly, is follow housing trends. Where are baby boomers going to spend their declining years? Let’s remember that the birth of the shopping mall was based on us moving to the suburbs. 
Retail has to follow housing trends of 2010  is something that somebody has to pay attention to.
If the 20th century was about leading, the 21st century is about following for the retailers of all sizes . The degree to which the retailer is nimble, able to react to customer issues and trends is going to be a critical factor for people’s survival.
ARE THE CONSUMERS ANGRY?
The poster- children for this trend would have to be Nike, consumers need to know what’s behind the brand, what it stands for and whose labor has built it. In the subway, i saw posters of Nike full of grafffitis against child labor, for example people knows that Triumph, a lingerie manufacturer was producing in Birmania, and the workers were intimidated by the army. 
GLOBAL MERCHANDISING AND GLOBAL COMPETITION
Zeller's has executed a turnaround, and now has 12 quarters of profitable growth behind it (figures from June 2002) Tom Haig, president of Zeller's pointed out how the retailer’s renewed success has come from a laser focus on its core customer and understanding what its female shoppers want from its 330 stores.
As global competition intensifies, the lower end of the price/quality spectrum may become dominated by foreign competitors operating with a 
Paris New York/ Lafayette Consultants copyright 2003 surplus of cheap labor and weak currencies. 
Fortunately Canadian apparel manufacturers are well positioned to thrive in mid to upscale market segments by differentiating themselves along the lines of innovation, flexibility and most importantly quality. From a study of Richter consulting the focus on product quality was identified as a major factor in the success of the « most profitable » respondent in a survey.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN A BOOMERS, XER'S (BORN 60 To 80) LINGERIE STORE

The Boomers ask for bodysuits, they would rather get rid of their brassieres and wear comfortable combines, they all told me that there is not enough choices of combines and they are ready to pay the price, the styles should be between sexy lace but with enough support and the other option should be seamless but again with support, like the one recently designed by Elita. Some of the customers ask for two panties of the same style, colors and design to buy with their bras.
The Xer's, know what they want, very rarely will they complain about the lack of choices for them, except for the cup sizes, many of them are thin but need D and DD cups for their brassieres, there is not enough styles in stock, but they do not have the same budget as the Boomers, the price range should be reasonable and I can say that Skinny is their favorite brand for now. Another complaint from the Xer's is the lack of choices for brassieres without underwire, very often the ones on the market are ugly, too old, and not feminine enough. Very often the Xer's ask for bras without padded cups, there is a need for this.
THE MALE CONSUMER
If you wish to raise the sales open a small underwear section for men in the back of your store! It will give them a reason to enter in your store without being embarrassed, yes male are still embarrassed to enter in a lingerie store, it might be one of the reason that the Victoria Secret web site have so many male visitors and buyers.
The male lingerie consumer, like the baby boomers, do not really look at the price, what he wants is something beautiful and it is a must to offer a nice package with silk paper, maybe a rose, or a scented sachet and nice ribbons, you will keep this man consumer for many many years.
And keep a chair near the fitting rooms, he will feel welcome.
                          Ginette@mcpetesez.com 
                   To be continued in our next issue...

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 God says to Adam, "What would you like in a wife?" "Hmmm," says Adam, "I'd like her to be the most beautiful creature in the world. I'd like her to do whatever I tell her to. I'd like her to work hard, be smart, enjoy being with me." 
"Hmmmm", God says, "I can do it, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg." 
"Oh," says Adam, "Well what can I get for a rib?"

        
Iraqi men gaze at posters showing nude women outside a cinema in Baghdad, where films portraying sex and violence have been popular since the fall of Saddam Hussein

   

                                                                                 
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