One Girl Who: Tapping a Niche for Knits
One Girl Who’s sophisticated knitwear looks for novelty shoppers have caught the attention of better department stores and specialty retailers on both coasts.
Owners Bruce Gifford and Dan Jaffe debuted the better misses knits line last October as a division of their new apparel company, Sweater.com. The two—who together have more than 25 years of experience designing, manufacturing and importing knitwear apparel—see Sweater.com as a stepping stone to new segments of the knitwear market.
One Girl Who is targeted at women seeking modern styles with a retro feel. Included in the line are select designer looks, as well as an entire basic program.
“We make our line for the contemporary woman who would love to buy an expensive Roberto Cavalli sweater but can’t afford it,” said Gifford.
Fall 2003 looks feature 70 styles in a palette ranging from bright rainbow colors to pastel hues. The collection is made with cashmere, viscose/nylon, and wool, silk and Lycra blends.
An asymmetrical, peacoat-style sweater jacket, a velvet and grosgrain-trimmed cardigan, and a boat-neck, button-sleeve sweater are a few of the collection’s top-selling styles. Other styles include a silk/nylon tank with a shoulder tie and an embroidered cardigan and tank.
Initial deliveries for Fall begin July 30; the line wholesales from $31 for a basic shell top to $85 for a velvet-trimmed, cashmere cardigan.
According to the company, more than 1,000 better specialty stores across the country carry One Girl Who. Nordstrom recently placed an order for 15,000 units for Fall 2003, said Gifford, who projects sales will reach $4 million during the line’s first year out.
One Girl Who is produced in Asia and distributed from the company’s headquarters in Los Angeles. The company also has showrooms in New York, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta.
Sweater.com is also preparing to launch a novelty T-shirt collection for Spring 2004, which will debut at the company’s New York showroom during New York Market Week in September.
For information, contact One Girl Who’s Los Angeles showroom at (213) 625-3341, or visit www.sweater.com. —Claudia Figueroa
