Henri Bendel: In 1985, the The Limited, Inc. purchased this upscale fashion
store. The store offers the best in clothing and accessories from international
designers. The price of clothes correlates with today's modern woman in her
mid-thirties in a higher-income household. This is the only upscale store owned
by The Limited, Inc.. There were six Henri Bendel stores as of year-end 1997.
Lerner NewYork: This division sells fashionable women's sportswear for
value-minded customers. The store created a brand called NY & Co. There were 746
Lerner stores in operation as of year-end 1997 in malls and shopping centers
across the U.S. Lane Bryant: Lane Bryant had been in operation for 80 years and
was actually larger than The Limited, Inc. at the time of purchase in 1982. Lane
Bryant's market is middle-aged-women between 30 and 50. The store specializes in
the sale of medium-priced clothing, intimate apparel, and accessories for the
special-sized woman (sizes 14 and up). Nearly all Lane Bryant stores originally
were located in regional shopping centers, but Wexner has shifted Lane Bryant
stores to mall locations near the other Limited stores. There were 773 Lane
Bryant stores as of year-end 1997.
Emerging Brands: Structure: The Limited, Inc., began testing the market for
men's fashions by offering Express for Men in Express stores beginning in 1987.
Sixty-nine Structure stores opened in 1989 and by the end of 1997, there were 54
stores. Structure stocks good-quality, affordable clothing in the latest styles.
The target customer is in his mid-twenties and urban, active, young, and
creative. Structure stores generally open into Express stores so customers can
shop in both stores without having to exit to the mall. Limited Too: The market
for girls' clothing (sizes 6-14) was tested by The Limited in the late 1980s
when the Limited Too brand was offered in The Limited's flagship store.
Sixty-two stores opened during 1989, and by the end of 1997, there were 312
Limited Too stores. Clothing sold in Limited Too stores is stylish - the newest
in colors, prints, and fabrics-and moderately priced. Galyan's Trading Company:
In 1995, The Limited, Inc., acquired six Galyan's stores for $18 million in cash
and stock. The company had a total of 11 stores by year-end 1997. The company
says Galyan's is the coolest destination in retailing for sports enthusiasts and
'wannabes' of all ages. A new distribution center for Galyan's opened in 1997.
Intimate Brands: Victoria's Secret: stores, bath and fragrances Victoria's
Secret Stores are the most dominant, intimate apparel stores in the world,
presently selling more lingerie than industry competitors Vanity Fair and
Maidenform. The stores were redecorated in the early 1990s in a Victorian Parlor
style. Victoria's Secret bath and fragrance products are an increasingly
important portion of store sales. The division's newest product is hosiery.
There were 789 Victoria's Secret stores in the U.S. as of year-end 1997.
Victoria's Secret Catalogue: Since its purchase by The Limited, Inc. in 1982,
the catalogue has steadily increased its operations. Now Victoria's Secret
Catalogue is the dominant catalogue for lingerie in the world. The Limited, Inc.
spent $10.7 million in 1994 to purchase a telemarketing center in Ohio on
Victoria's Secret catalogue operations expansion. The division has three
successful specialty catalogues: Swim, Country, and City. A new catalogue
introduced in 1996 was Christmas Dreams and Fantasies. In 1996, the division
established a calling center in Japan. This allowed a market for mail order
sales. Bath and Body Works: In response to demand by consumers for natural
personal-care products, The Limited opened six B&B Works stores in 1990. These
stores have a natural market atmosphere and sell a variety of personal care
products. There were 921 B&B Woks stores as of year-end 1997. Support
Businesses: Mast Industries: Mast Industries, Inc. is one of the world's leading
international contract manufacturers, importers and distributors of apparel for
men, women and children. Product lines range from sportswear and ready-to-wear
to lingerie. Mast delivers over 100 million garments a year to The Limited, Inc.
retail and catalogue divisions. Limited Distribution Services: The purpose of
Limited Distribution is to design and implement operations that will provide the
retail business with the most effective and efficient delivery operations
available. Limited Distribution Services will have achieved its objective if
each of its customers believes that it has been an asset in helping them achieve
their goals.
