Jessica London® Launches New Fashion Collections For Spring 2012

Jessica London®, a plus size women’s fashion brand in the portfolio of Redcats USA’s OneStopPlus Group, is gearing up for the spring/summer season by rolling out exclusive fashion collections that are specially designed to accentuate plus size curves.

VIVA La Spring – Jessica London® celebrates Spring 2012 by taking a sunny adventure in style. This new collection has a “muy caliente” vibe with vibrant colors and the textural elements from the architecture of Old San Juan, adding boldness and flavor to any wardrobe. Featuring new hues, lighter fabrics, fabulous dresses, and tunics and denim to layer – VIVA La Spring provides essential fashion pieces to transition from winter to spring. Plus, the new collection showcases wardrobe pieces that are heating up the fashion runways – boho-chic, 70’s inspired silhouettes, sheers, dramatic drapes, chic escapes, maxi dresses and special occasion dresses.
Tranquil by Jessica London® – Tranquil is an exciting new collection launched exclusively by Jessica London®. With styles created by Jessica London®’s in-house design experts, these fashion must-haves bridge the gap between weekend looks and casual chic styles. Tranquil provides curvy women the kind of relaxed and comfortable, yet stylish looks that before now have not been available in plus size. The collection, designed to be worn for anything from lunch with friends to yoga class, includes thirteen mix-and-match pieces made of soft, breathable fabric that are perfect for an active lifestyle – stretch knit maxi dress, 2-in1 jersey knit top, cocoon cardigan, sharktail hoodie, and much more! And based on the overwhelming positive feedback from its customers, Jessica London® will continue to expand the Tranquil collection and add new pieces throughout the spring/summer season.
Patti’s Picks – Jessica London®’s favorite fashion guru ‘tells all’ on what she loves and what she knows customers want. Patti will hand pick spring and summer fashion pieces that will be highlighted in Jessica London® catalogs and online throughout the season, making shopping easy and more fun for everyday fashionistas!
“The Jessica London® team has created excitement in the plus size industry with the launch of our new spring collections, providing women the beautiful designs and stylish options they have been challenged to find in their sizes,” said John Mallon, Senior Vice President/General Brand Manager for Jessica London®. “Based on decades of plus size expertise, we have designed fashion pieces that enhance a woman’s curvy figure and adds that extra ‘splash’ to any wardrobe.”
Since 1997, Jessica London® has brought quality career, casual and special occasion fashion, plus classic, easy-to-wear separates, comfortable lingerie and shoes to women sizes 12 to 32, including petites and talls.
Customers can also visit JessicaLondon.com and order from Jessica London®’s 2012 Spring Collection, shop on the go via Jessica London®’s mobile site (m.jessicalondon.com), or download the iPad app and find that perfect outfit!
Plus, fashionistas and fans can stay up-to-date with the latest Jessica London® styles and trends via the brand’s official blog, Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as OneStopPlus.com®’s online web magazine created to share fashion tips, hot trends and new must-have products.
OneStopPlus.com® is the #1 destination to shop for plus sizes, an online marketplace featuring thousands of brands and products that are specifically targeted to plus size customers. Proprietary brands in the OneStopPlus portfolio include: OneStopPlus.com®, Woman Within® (WomanWithin.com), Roaman’s® (Roamans.com), Jessica London® (JessicaLondon.com ) , Full Beauty (fullbeauty.com), KingSize® (KingSizeDirect.com), BrylaneHome® (BrylaneHome.com) and Bargain Catalog Outlet – BCO® (BCOutlet.com).

Plus-size clothing operator goes bust

By Bloomberg News
February 1, 2012 10:46 a.m.

(Bloomberg) – United Retail Group Inc., owner of the Avenue plus-size women’s clothing stores, filed for bankruptcy court protection citing leasing costs and announced plans to sell the company.

An affiliate of Versa Capital Management, a Philadelphia-based private-equity firm, agreed to serve as the lead, or stalking-horse, bidder in a court-supervised auction, United Retail said Wednesday in a statement.

“We are seeking relief from disproportionately high costs for many of our leases that were signed prior to the recession,” United Retail Group’s CEO Dawn Robertson said in the statement. “Through Chapter 11 relief and a lease renegotiation process, the turnaround of Avenue can continue.”

Avenue has two shops in Manhattan, three in Brooklyn, one in the Bronx and three in Queens. In 2009, the retailer closed its shop at 711 Third Ave., blaming its location. “Our store at 711 Third Ave. is not a productive space for Avenue,” a spokeswoman for Redcats USA told Crain’s at the time.

The company, based in Rochelle Park, N.J., listed assets of $117.2 million and debt of $67.3 million in Chapter 11 documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan. It will seek court approval to borrow as much as $40 million from Wells Fargo & Co. to carry it through the bankruptcy process, according to the statement.

Redcats USA, a division of French retailer PPR SA, bought United Retail Group for $198.9 million in 2007. Redcats is a catalog and online marketer of clothing and home products. Its brands include Roaman’s, Jessica London, BrylaneHome, KingSize, the Sportsman’s Guide and OneStopPlus.com. PPR, based in Paris, is the owner of the Gucci luxury brand.

United Retail Group, which has 433 Avenue stores in the U.S., hired Alixpartners to advise the company. Kirkland & Ellis is its legal adviser. The company plans to close 14 stores in the next month, according to court papers.

Among the largest unsecured creditors listed in court documents were Valentine USA of New York, owed $1.95 million; LF Centennial Pte Ltd. of Singapore, owed $1.91 million; Porta Asiatica Enterprise of Shanghai, owed $1.24 million; and Vanity Fair Brands LP of Charlotte, N.C., owed $793,000.

Ms. Robertson said in court papers that Avenue, which sells women’s clothing in sizes 14 and up, generated about $300 million in sales last year, with a pretax loss of $28 million.

In addition to lease expenses, she blamed “adverse economic conditions,” marketing and pricing problems, and retail sales declines for the bankruptcy.

Plus-size models get “Bare” at NY’s Fashion Week

Edith Honan
Reuters

12:26 p.m. CST, February 12, 2012

NEW YORK (Reuters) – In the middle of New York Fashion Week, typically filled with skinny models in slender garments, it was a celebration of the full figured and fabulous when lingerie maker Bare Necessities launched Bare Plus — a new line catering to the rising numbers of plus-size women.

“The new American woman,” says Jay Dunn, chief marketing officer for Bare Plus, noting that more than 60 percent of American women wear a size 14 or higher.

“They are no longer the minority. You would never know that by looking at media, advertising and entertainment, but they really are the majority,” Dunn said.

Weight and questions of what constitutes a healthy and attractive body image have been flashpoints in fashion for years, of course. After two anorexic Latin American models died in 2006, countries including Italy and India banned underweight models from the catwalk as part of an effort to promote a healthier image of beauty.

France did not, but the style-conscious country did introduce an awareness campaign. Yet critics still say the fashion industry contributes to eating disorders in young women.

Bare Plus champions the idea that size 8 or 10 is average. Indeed millions of American women who are considered plus size fit into clothes often not found in many stores — usually size 14 and up.

Away from fashion week’s main runways, a mini catwalk of Bare Plus’ lingerie showed off many animal prints, as well fabrics of lace and satin. Designs by Hanky Panky, Calvin Klein and DKNY will also be available through Bare Plus.

The lingerie collection will soon be part of a “Curvy Fashion Show,” at the next New York Fashion Week in September. That show will include six individual designers and feature apparel, sleepwear, swimwear and lingerie.

“There are millions of plus size women around the world who have a voice and a style that up until today nobody has heard or seen in the proper light,” said Jeff Grinstein, the Curvy Fashion Show’s creator.

In the audience of the Bare Plus event were several plus-size women who said they liked what they saw.

“Plus-size fashion has been the step-child of Fashion Week and of fashion in general for just too long,” said Maryellen Kernaghan, a 53-year-old blogger who has been working as a plus-size model for several decades.

“A plus-size woman, just like any other woman, wants to feel great. And lingerie really does support a woman in more ways than one,” said Kernaghan, adding she fully intends to purchase some of the under-garments ahead of Valentine’s Day.

Rafaella Fluid Denim Classic Fit Plus Size Pant – Woman

$49.49

Details

86% Polyester/12% Rayon/2% Spandex
Classic Fit
Straight leg
2 way stretch texture for added comfort
Extended tab with hook and eye closure
Belt loops
Button and zipper closure
32″ inseam
19″ Leg opening
Besom back pockets
Machine wash gentle
Imported

Rafaella Rayon/Cotton Stripe Plus Size Sweater – Woman

$41.99

Details

60% Cotton/ 40% Rayon
Scoop neck
3/4 dolman sleeves
Stripe detail
Machine washable
Imported

Rafaella Woman Printed Pieced Plus Size Tank

$28.34

Details

100% Polyester
Sleeveless
Reptile print
Layered flaps with pleated accents
Machine washable
Imported

Rafaella Woman Plus Size Luxe Dolman Sleeve Top

$34.99

Details

84% Polyester/ 11% Rayon/ 5% Spandex
3/4 length dolman sleeves
Sweater like jersey stretch fabric for a feminine fit
Cowl neck
Banded waist
Machine washable
Imported

Rafaella Woman 2×2 Georgette Trim Plus Size Cardigan

$40.49

Details

95% Cotton/5% Spandex
Full length sleeves
Feminine rufflie-like pleats on opening
Soft sweater-like fabric
Gentle wash
Imported