|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Boomers Targeted
Gap Opens Forth & Towne to Lure Mature Women
 Aug.
24, 2005 Chicos took a big bite out of the womens clothing market by
targeting older women. Now, the Gap is biting back with its own stores
Forth & Towne designed to attract baby boomers and possibly even a few
active senior citizens. Gap faces a challenge, since it has only a 3
percent share of the $66 billion dollar annual market for women over 35.
The good news is older women are being presented with more options in
places to shop.
The first of the new stores opened yesterday in the
suburbs of New York (Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack), with four
more scheduled to open in the Chicago area next week. Gap plans to open
another five stores next year, with a possible further 20 stores in
2007.
"We have a deep understanding of who our customer
is, and we believe Forth & Towne will provide her with an experience
she's never seen before," said Gary Muto, President, Forth & Towne.
"Forth & Towne will provide everything in one intimate space: from great
style and dependable fit, to a beautiful setting and exceptional
service."
Forth & Towne -- the name is meant to evoke a
meeting place offers a unique, new shopping experience for mature,
confident womenproviding styles for a variety of occasions, in one
intimate setting, Gap said.
Observers say the San Francisco-based retailer aims
to lure baby boomer women from department stores and specialty stores
such as Ann Taylor, Talbots and Chico's.
Forth & Towne offers customers smart, fashionable clothing designed
under four unique brands tailored to a range of lifestyles. The brands,
Allegory, Vocabulary, Prize and Gap Edition, will offer distinct styles
for casual, business or dress-up needs within one intimate space, the
company announced.
"Our customer is a woman who knows who she is and
her clothes reflect her sense of self," said Austyn Zung, Senior Vice
President of Design. "The Forth & Towne customer does not dress by
formula. She is confident mixing color, texture and pattern."
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading international specialty
retailer offering clothing, accessories and personal care products for
men, women, children and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy
and Forth & Towne brand names. Fiscal 2004 sales were $16.3 billion. Gap
Inc. operates about 3,000 stores in the United States, the United
Kingdom, Canada, France and Japan. For more information, visit
www.gapinc.com.
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
