IN THE MIDDLE
BUGLE BOY NAMES NEW PRESIDENT: Rosa Mow, who had been executive vice president, has been promoted to president and to the new post of chief operating officer of Bugle Boy Industries.
In her new capacity, Rosa Mow will continue to oversee all production operations, human resources, administration and Bugle Boy’s wrinkle-free processing facilities. In addition, Barney Mow, senior vice president of operations, will report to Rosa Mow.
The position of president had been held by her husband, William C.W. Mow, chairman and chief executive officer of Bugle Boy, for the past year. He assumed that title when Vincent Nesi, who was president, was named vice chairman of merchandising. Nesi left the firm in August. Barney Mow is William Mow’s nephew.
Rosa Mow, who will report to her husband, has been with Bugle Boy since 1980. She became vice president of administration in 1986. After being promoted to senior vice president the following year, she was then named to her most recent post in 1988.
In another development, Michael Seyhun has joined Bugle Boy as senior vice president and chief financial officer, effective immediately.
Seyhun, who will report to William Mow, succeeds Roger Murray, who left last month.
Seyhun comes to Bugle Boy from Cherokee Inc., where he worked for the past eight years. For the past year, he served as both chief operating officer and chief financial officer following a year as president of the company’s shoe division. Earlier in his career at Cherokee, he was senior vice president of finance. He was also a director of Cherokee at the time of his departure.
TOUGH MARKET VICTIM: In Group Ltd., a nine-year-old New York firm that marketed sportswear under the In label and was in the midst of launching a Claire McCardell line, has closed its doors.
“It was a combination of several factors, but mostly the retail climate, which has been very bad,” said Frank Bibbo, principal of In Group, who made the decision to shut in early December. He noted that he saw the firm’s sales eroding from its base of about $19 million about a year ago.
He continued, “Retailers are placing too many demands on manufacturers, and I think it is only going to get worse.”
In Group was revving up to revive the Claire McCardell label, named after the designer who died in 1958. The firm had bought the label from the designer’s estate three years ago and was planning to launch the line for spring.
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MISS ERIKA’S COLLECTION: Miss Erika Inc., which markets moderately priced items under the Miss Erika label, will be unveiling a new casual sportswear line labeled Erika Collection. The line, targeted at department and specialty stores, will start shipping in May.
Erika Collection, which will include pants, shorts and jackets in solid, print and striped cotton jersey as well as in cotton novelty ribs in its first delivery, will be priced about the same as Miss Erika.
Erika Collection wholesales from $8 to $25, according to Howard Zwilling, executive vice president.
“We are hearing that the customer is now buying outfits, not separate tops and bottoms, and we thought launching this type of collection was the perfect opportunity for us,” said Zwilling. He declined to offer sales projections.
ELLEN FIGG FINDS BETTER WAY: Ellen Figg Inc. is joining a slew of moderate sportswear firms that are targeting the upper moderate/low better zone. The updated sportswear company is launching a line called Ellen Figg Studio, with shipments to start in May. It includes two-piece dressing, suits and separates, most of which are fully lined.
The line wholesales from $50 to $80 per outfit, compared with a $25 to $45 price range at Ellen Figg. Studio will feature such fabrics as sueded Tencel, wool crepes and wool boucles, while Ellen Figg’s line includes such less expensive fabrics as rayon acetate and polyester and rayon crepe blends.
“We are not walking away from the moderate customer,” said Barry Cohen, executive vice president. “But moderate firms have to trade up, not trade down. There is just too much competition from the mass stores and discounters.”
Studio is expected to generate $5 million in sales for the first year, he said. Ellen Figg generated sales of more than $35 million last year, according to sources.