Winter Silks

Since its inception in 1985, Venus Swimwear has had a long history of growth, with annual sales increases averaging 15 percent to 25 percent. Today, the Jacksonville, FL-based company that was started by a college student and weightlifting enthusiast is the world’s largest marketer of junior swimwear. But as Venus grew, founder Daryle Scott realized he had one problem. “We had this business that was doing really well, but it’s basically a February-through-June operation and is dead in the winter.” Venus Swimwear has always handled its own order-taking and fulfillment, and the seasonality was putting a dent in the company’s back-end productivity. Scott’s solution:

Although no one seems to know all the details, the first mail order company for women’s “plus” sizes was apparently started about 75 years ago by a woman named Lena Bryant, as an outgrowth of her successful retail operation. Not Lane Bryant—Lena Bryant. That’s right, Lena. The name that has become synonymous with apparel for large women was apparently the result of a signmaker’s error. Rumor has it that Lena liked how “Lane Bryant” looked on the storefront and stuck with that name for her company. There are other interesting legends about the early days of the industry. For example, Lena Bryant’s initial mail