WinterSilks and Venus Swimwear have created a working solution to the challenge of running a seasonal business.

By Alicia Orr Suman

So in 1996, Scott began searching for acquisition candidates. It took a while to find the right fit. In 1999, Venus acquired the Wisconsin-based apparel catalog WinterSilks, whose core products are silk-knit long underwear and other cold-weather apparel. The purchase brought Venus Swimwear’s business into the fall/winter market. Says Scott, “WinterSilks was a perfect fit—an almost completely opposite peak season.”