Chenault: Fashion for the Modern Missy Woman

Linda Chenault isn’t afraid to say her line of better separates, Chenault, is for the missy customer. The term is often associated with a matronly style, but, according to Chenault, when she uses the term missy, it refers to the forgiving fit and the age range of women between 30 to 50 years old and up.

“There seems to be a real void in the market for the missy customer who is a true missy fit, but she wants a younger look,” said Chenault, who has worked in apparel merchandising, sales and design for several years.

With intense focus on the booming contemporary market’s fashion trends and premium prices, Chenault addresses the older and sometimes more pricesensitive customer who has been left behind.

“A lot of people don’t want to spend $300 on an outfit,” said Chenault, whose line retails at stores such as Macy’s, Dillard’s and Nordstrom and at better specialty stores for $58 to $79. “They’ve got kids that they’re putting through school. They’ve got mortgage payments to pay. They just have a different focus.”

According to Paula Loevner, merchandise analyst for the retail consulting company Directives West, the better separates market was nearly nonexistent 10 years ago. Now, the old guard of matching suits has given way to mix-and-match separates in a casual working environment.

“I think it’s a growing area,” said Loevner of the age-appropriate better separates category. “As we get older, the demographics are greater. That woman wants to be trend-right, and she can’t fit into the contemporary [sizing]. But she still wants to look great.”

Loevner, who covers the better separates category among others, has frequently crossed paths with Chenault over the years and featured Chenault’s new line in the Directives West fashion show this past March.

Loevner described Chenault as a professional. “She knows the business. She’s been in the business a long time and I respect her.”

Chenault is the newest addition to the Gardena, Calif.–based Big Strike Inc. umbrella of brands, which includes juniors labels Heart and Soul and Soulmates. Big Strike shares a warehouse and showroom space with KNL Inc., which produces the juniors labels Big Flirt and Madknits.

“Chenault adds a nice balance to our company,” said Jodi Sundberg, president of Big Strike. “Up until this point, we have mainly been focusing on juniors. [The better separates] market share is where substantial growth is expected by the major department stores. The Chenault customer has an enormous expendable income and is looking for forward, understandable fashion. It is a natural progression from our existing business.”

The standout pieces in the line showcase Chenault’s knack for prints. The company works with in-house graphic artists to create original patterns and offers specialized prints for major accounts to have a unique display.

One black-and-white geometric- print blouse is complemented by a modern tie-front bow and puffed sleeves. A bow print and red ladybug print in similar retro blouse shapes are designed to match easily with basic black or brown trousers.

For lighter summer dressing, there is a group of blouses in novelty Swiss-dot cotton and eyelet fabrics in black and white.

Cropped shorts, wide-waistband pants and a pencil skirt with a pleated back are basic and wearable in cotton/nylon stretch fabrics and cotton/rayon/polyester stretch fabrics.

For more information, contact Lois Kramer at (212) 764-4360. —Rhea Cortado