CINCINNATI, May 21, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- PlusSize.com (www.PlusSize.com), the premier shopping destination featuring Virtual Fashion For Today's Woman, today announced that for the first time a sampling of Lands' End apparel, including swimwear, is available in a virtual environment for the plus-size woman. PlusSize.com's Web visitors are able to create a "Virtual You(tm)" online model of themselves, and can then choose a Lands' End garment to try on in a virtual setting. Currently, the Lands' End collection is available for online fittings only at PlusSize.com -- joining Elisabeth by Liz Claiborne (NYSE:LIZ), Ulla Popken, Just My Size, Jockey and SizeAppeal at PlusSize.com's Internet shopping portal.
"Our partnership with PlusSize.com gives us the ability to offer a new level of convenience and customer service to the 18W-26W woman," says Bob Burgert, senior merchandise manager at Lands' End. "The Virtual You makes it easy for shoppers to find and 'try on' fashionable, comfortable clothing -- even swimwear -- in the privacy and comfort of their own home."
PlusSize.com, originally launched on April 11, 2001, is the leading online shopping destination for the plus-size woman. The site offers a vast array of clothing choices for more than 65 million American women (more than half of the female population) who wear a size 12 or larger. PlusSize.com utilizes the My Virtual Model(tm) Dressing Room, which allows shoppers to build a unique, customized, 3-D online model after providing information regarding height, weight, body type, skin tone, hair style and eye color. Now, a customer can "try on" a Lands' End 18W-26W item on the virtual model to see how it will look before purchasing it. In addition to swimwear, Lands' End offers the plus-size woman many other fashionable clothing suggestions from its new spring collection.
PlusSize.com offers access to the Web sites of more than 40 brand name designers and manufacturers, such as Coldwater Creek, The Gap, J. Jill, the Lane Bryant Catalog, Nordstrom and many more. Currently, shoppers can try clothing on the Virtual You from Elisabeth by Liz Claiborne, Ulla Popken, Size Appeal, Just My Size, Jockey, and now, Lands' End.
"PlusSize.com was launched to offer a convenient, tailor-made shopping experience for the majority of American women. For years, this has been considered only a 'niche' market, yet plus size clothing is the fastest-growing segment of the apparel industry, according to research firm NPD Group," explains PlusSize.com CEO and Founder Jeff Recker. "Our growth clearly supports that research; last month we had over 200,000 unique visitors on the site and we expect this rate to more than double with the addition of the Lands' End collection and the other brands that will follow shortly. This is a perfect time to offer swimwear and spring fashions to our customers and we are thrilled to partner with Lands' End."
About PlusSize.com
PlusSize.com, launched on April 11, 2001, is the world's largest online shopping mall featuring Virtual Fashion For Today's Woman. The company's technology combines offerings from dozens of leading retailers into a single digital catalog, delivering selection and convenience to a $20 billion industry that encompasses over 65 million American women. PlusSize.com features "Virtual You(tm)" -- the My Virtual Model(tm) Dressing Room for the plus-size woman from top name brands such as Liz Claiborne's Elizabeth line (NYSE:LIZ), Just My Size, SizeAppeal and well-known European retailer Ulla Popken. In addition, the site offers an extensive shopping portal with links to stores such as J. Jill, Eddie Bauer, The Gap, Spiegel and Nordstrom. PlusSize.com was recently honored by Internet Retailer Magazine as one of the leading online retail sites of the year. PlusSize.com is a member of the Main Street Ventures located in the Digital Rhine district of Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, please call (513) 333-0355 or visit the Web site at www.plussize.com.