MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS.- Kohl's is giving its apparel departments added breadth by accounting for petite and plus-size fashion consumers this spring. The company has extended the size range for two of its newest misses brand exclusives, apt. 9 and Daisy Fuentes, to bring its most stylish brands to an incremental audience.

The decision was based on a recent survey that Kohl's conducted indicating that women in these size ranges still believe that they are underserved in terms of fashion. This key consumer base, consisting of the 40% of women who wear petite sizes and the 54% of women who wear plus-size apparel, revealed that it is unhappy with the selection, high prices and poor fit of much of the plus-size apparel on the market. Adding plus and petite sizes to its two most fashion-forward missy brands were introduced to address a void of misses fashion in the market. The apt. 9 and Daisy Fuentes collections are two of our top offerings in our misses depanment, according to Lori Sansoucie, public relations manager for Kohl's Department Stores.

The addition of the line and these brands into petite and plus areas is expected to cull strong results.

"Kohl's survey proves that there Is real opportunity in the petite and plus-size market, said Jack Boyle, EVP and GMM of women's apparel at Kohl's.

The study represents a national sample of 1,000 women age 18 and over conducted via telephone between Feb. 3 and 9, 2005.

Some of the attributes that consumers desire in special sizes were made apparent. According to the study, 32% of petite (5'4" or under) and plus-size women feel they must sacrifice style to find clothes that flatter their figures. In all, 63% of plus-size women and 52% of petites reported that the industry does a "fair or poor job" of assorting clothing that fits their particular body types.

Style at a price seems to be the most important quality lacking in today's special-size market, since this captive audience has a much more limited and less competitive offering than her standard sized sister. A total of 34% of plus-size women found shopping frustrating due to difficulty finding quality yet affordable clothes that look good. Almost a third of plus-size women and 29% of petites said that their clothing was simply "too expensive."

"While we have had a long-standing commitment to this important consumer, we are confident that size extensions in two of our exclusive, contemporary brands, Daisy Fuentes and apt. 9, responds to the increasing demand for affordable fashion, Boyle added.

For similar reasons, another retailer has decided to enter the plus-size apparel business with a new specialty chain called Fashion to Figure. The first 3,500 square-foot store opened during fourth quarter 2004 in the Palisades Center shopping mall in West Nyack, N.Y.. Two additional stores are slated to open in the Tri-State area this year.

FTF is run by two grandsons of Lena H. Bryant, the entrepreneur who pioneered the maternity and plus-size apparel businesses more than 100 years ago. Their father sold their famlly's Lane Bryant chain to The Limited Brands in the mid-'80's, which is now owned by Charming Shoppes, today's largest specialty plus retailer. However, the cofounders of FTF, brothers Nicholas and Michael Kaplan, decided there was opportunity in today's plus-slze market.

"We felt that the time was right to introduce a new specialty chain with more fashion; a multi-brand concept with a lot of styles so that the customer has the maximum amount of choice in one location, up to date with the...self image of this consumer," said MichaeI Kaplan.

After growing up in the business, he noted, he and his brother observed a change in the attitude of the plus consumer that had to do with a more positive self-image and less acceptlng attitude toward the clothing they were offered.

"They no longer want to shop in an environment where they are hiding; now they want to go where their fashion needs are met."

A primary point of difference between Fashion to Figure and other plus chains including Lane Bryant is that FIT focuses on retailing national brands, including August Silk and Jones New York, while Lane Bryant is focused on proprietary lines. Despite carrying department store labels, however, FTF is, like Kohl's, aware of the demand for affordable fashions in the plus-size market so items come in "with an average ticket of $25," noted Kaplan. "I think there is great oppomlnity in great prices."

Whether it is a newer chain like FTF or a well-established retailer such as Kohl's, it is clear that assorting fashion apparel outside the "average" size range is, and should be, a priority.