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Blue Fish Reels in Stylish Customers

Blue Fish Reels in Fashionable Prospects

This is not your typical fish story. The folks at Blue Fish Clothes never brag about the ones that got ,red toms, away. Blue Fish's casual line of oneofakind, handblockprinted women's cotton clothesall individually signed by a organization artisthas achieved cultlike status. Its devotees consist of such Hollywood luminaries as Cher and director Penny Marshall together with musicians Emmylou Harris and Mary Chapin Carpenter. The New Jerseybased apparel firm's sales have almost doubled over the past three years, to ,ralph lauren australia, $10 million, and they're expected to hit $13 million in 1996. Blue Fish also raised just below $4 million within a public offering. Its shares went available at $5 in Might; right now, they're selling for about $7.

This tiny clothing company's ascent is intriguing since it comes at a time when the women's apparel business is floundering. Between 1989 and 1995, women's clothes sales declined by 12 percent, from $84 billion to $73 billion. Why the drop? "Over the past few years there's been a sameness to most women's style in stores," explains retail consultant Vicki Ross. "Much with the merchandise has been body fitting and tight, which doesn't appeal to a population that is aging and expanding a bit wider."

Blue Fish shoppers are paying top dollar for the precise oppositean artsy, loosefitting look. Rates range from $52 ,http://www.1969leavers.com/, for any mock turtleneck to $354 to get a flowing, anklelength coat. When a new shipment of Blue Fish clothes arrives at Nordstrom in Oak Brook, Ill., salespeople straight away alert their shoppers. Says Assistant Purchaser Carin Zencka: "The garments are normally gone just before they even attain the racks."

Achievement. Blue Fish may be the brainchild of ,http://viviennewestwood.tljdesign.com/, 29yearold Jennifer Barclay. Twelve years ago, even though an art student at Temple University, Barclay spent $100 on a stack of white Tshirts and started experimenting by blockprinting them in her family's garage. She peddled her wares at nearby craft shows and jazz festivals. Then, in November 1986, Barclay borrowed $4,000 from her folks to set up a booth at a wholesale fashion show in New York. She wrote $110,000 in ,http://tljdesign.com/ralphlaurenaustralia.html, orders and quickly set up a studio.

Barclay's apparel is ,vivienne westwood jewellery, now sold in 600 boutiques and division retailers alongside Donna Karan and Calvin Klein. ,polo ralph lauren. Blue Fish runs a mailorder catalog and its ,toms shoe outlet, personal retailers in New Jersey, Texas and New Mexico; it plans to open a shop in New York this fall. The company presently employs 200 people that generate some 200,000 garments annually. Says Barclay: "We are a microminiversion of Ralph Lauren and Calvin with our own distinct appear." That may be, but Blue Fish's fast expansion has hurt earnings. The organization lost $247,000 last year, although analysts believe it'll eke out a profit in 1996.

To help keep the momentum, Barclay intends to move her firm into a larger headquarters, exactly where Blue Fish will automate production arranging and merchandise ordering. The enterprise will also expand its line of children's clothes; menswear in addition to a homefurnishings collection will likely be progressively added. Soon after that, a lowerpriced line of women's apparel will be introduced.

Not every person believes ,ralph lauren kids, in Blue Fish. Notes Alan Millstein, president from the Fashion Network Report: "There's a limited market place for these types of premiumpriced clothes aimed at people who like to believe of themselves as a walking piece of art." Barclay remains undeterred. The sign on her workplace door reads, "There is generally a way. Life is often a dream and dreams come accurate." After turning a $100 investment into a $10 million enterprise, she knows that firsthand.

Fantastic catch Sales. 1996 sales must develop by 30 percent. Retail. Nordstrom accounts for about 20 percent of sales. Production. Blue Fish styles eight collections a year.
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Blue Fish Reels in Stylish Customers

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