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FROM: For the Fit, Inc.,
CONTACT: Margie Zable Fisher, [email protected], (561) 417-0006
For Immediate Release
ForTheFit.com is Taking Style to
The company was born of two entrepreneurs, both well under 5’9”, frustrated with the lack of viable, fashion options for shorter men. Shorter men often require trousers with shorter hems, a shorter rise, and smaller waist sizes. Sleeve lengths, the overall proportions of dress and casual shirts, and most suiting available off-the-rack, are generally too large for shorter men.
“Most American retailers stock menswear items that suit the middle 50% of shoppers, or men 5’9” and above, where profits are strongest,” explains Consuelo Bova, C.E.O. of For The Fit, Inc. Unfortunately, that leaves men under 5’9” with limited options, such as purchasing expensive custom apparel, buying off-the-rack and paying for subsequent alterations, or scouring children’s and young men’s departments for any suitable options. “When I asked about trousers with shorter inseams or more trim-fitting dress shirts for my 5’7” husband, sales clerks often laughed and said ‘What’s the big deal, just get them taken in.’,” recalls Ms. Bova, “The ‘big deal’ is that I had neither the time, nor the desire to make multiple trips to stores and the tailor to doctor a pair of chinos everyone else could buy off-the-rack, particularly considering the expense and inadequate results.”
For example, though a pair of regular, store bought slacks can be hemmed, the basic proportion on the pants, such as the rise or the placement of pockets, will remain awkward for a shorter man.
The last decade has seen the growth of niche and specialty retailers focusing on hard to find sizes, such as big and tall menswear, and plus and petite sizing for women. Nonetheless, menswear for shorter men is largely uncharted territory. Why is petite women’s apparel so readily available, but menswear for a similar population largely unavailable? “It’s okay to refer to a woman as ‘petite,’ but referring to men that way seems somehow unacceptable. My guess is that the cost of overcoming any stigma weighed against perceived low demand has kept many retailers out of this market.”
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- 2- For the Fit, Inc.
Whatever the reason, most large, national retail stores with Women’s, Petite’s and Big and Tall departments simply do not carry sizes for shorter, smaller men. Nationwide, less than a dozen specialty retailers are serving this population and many of these treat their wares as a solution to the embarrassing problem of being a short male. Ms. Bova objects to that attitude, “Our philosophy at For The Fit, Inc. is that style has nothing to do with height. Rather, good looks are about choosing the right styles in the right sizes to enhance your natural frame.”
To stock their online store, www.ForTheFit.com, For The Fit. Inc.’s buyers have sought fashion lines that cut product trimmer and smaller than average, and also custom manufacturers to produce apparel in sizes proportioned for their target audience.
Jeffrey Bova, the company’s C.F.O., adds, “We also found that quality, up to date styles and known brands were sorely missing in this market segment -- even among the specialty retailers.” Of the specialty retailers serving men under 5’9”, only For The Fit, Inc. currently caters to the needs of the young and the affluent. “Unfortunately, much of what is available out there in smaller sizes targets a significantly older demographic.
Because ForTheFit.com is an online retailer, available for shopping 24 hours a day, they are able to serve customers across the
For more information visit www.FortheFit.com.
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