com. RETAIL APPAREL SALES UP AFTER THREE
YEARS OF DECLINE

Colorful shirts, pretty prints and men's suits helped the apparel
industry shine in 2004. In 2001, apparel sales
took a major dip in dollars and the downward trend continued for two
years due to low consumer confidence, increasing unemployment rates
and consumers' lack of passion for fashion.

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Y.
For women, 2004 was all about knit tops and sweaters.

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Catherines offers a wide selection of apparel from career and
casual to eveningwear -- as well as a collection of accessories , lingerie and
hosiery.

The corrected release reads as follows:

THE NPD GROUP REPORTS U.
Across gender segments, men's and women's clothing sales both
showed growth, while children 's apparel sales were flat.

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For more information, log onto the Catherines website,
http://www.S . In 2004,
men's apparel sales produced over $49 billion, up from nearly $47
billion in 2003, over a 5 percent increase in dollars.

This section lists retail sites offering both custom printing and embroidery on clothing items.

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catherines.com

----In BW5094
issued Feb.

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Ebbets Field Flannels (www ..

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newscom.catherines.

CORRECTING and REPLACING The NPD Group Reports U.S. Retail Apparel Sales up After Three Years of Decline; Men's Tailored Clothing is Top Selling Apparel Catego

Retail Apparel Sales up First Time
in Three Years).

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Many of the new lines are marketed toward
women, and will include garments from the historic women's softball
teams (think "A League of Their Own") and roller derby uniforms.
It is returning to a direct customer relationship model for which it
became known. The category, consisting of men's suits,
suit separates and sportscoats and jackets, experienced double -digit
growth of about 24 percent.

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Because of its unique relationship with its customers, the company
is bucking today's business practice of outsourcing customer service
to representatives reading from a script or voice-automated systems. A group of long-term veteran employees, many of whom
returned to take part in the company's rebirth, will personally handle
calls and re-build customer relationships .
These can be paired with embellished tees and tunics for a great afternoon
outing look.catherines . According to The NPD Group, a market research
firm, apparel sales totaled $173 billion in 2004, a four percent
increase from $166 billion in 2003.
"Consumers want clothes that are new and exciting , if the industry can
deliver that then I think the growth will continue," said Cohen. Women's apparel
sales earned almost $95 billion in 2004, up from $90 billion the
previous year, nearly a 5 percent increase in dollar sales.

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The clothes are conversation starters.
Dressy or casual, Catherines offers women, sizes 16-38, an endless selection
of apparel appropriate for any type of celebration .

Business Editors
CORRECTION. This year I expect to see consumers
step up to the plate and buy apparel as needed. Women's tops
generated over $31 billion dollars and grew 9 percent from the
previous year. The outdated thong was replaced
with the new, stylish boy panty.

monogramming knucklehead

Business Editors/Sports Editors

SEATTLE----After a three-year
hiatus, the company that pioneered the authentic vintage sports team
apparel industry in the late 1980s is back -- and better than ever . The
company is named after the old Brooklyn Dodgers ballpark.
Ebbets is also returning to offering its popular mail-order
catalogs, a delight for sports history buffs because of the historical
references associated with each catalog item.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050427/NYWFNS2 )
Customers looking to dress up for the holiday will find a variety of items
from dresses, skirt sets and pantsuits in soft flowing fabrics and pastel
hues. Retail Apparel Sales up After Three Years of Decline
(sted: The NPD Group Reports U.
"Apparel's comeback is good news for an industry that's been
looking for ways to find growth.

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"The traditional sports fan wanting to wear their favorite team's
gear isn't our customer ," said Jerry Cohen, president and co-founder. The women's swimwear and intimate apparel businesses
both grew 8 percent in dollar sales.

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com), whose eclectic fan base
includes talk show host David Letterman , director Spike Lee and punk
rocker Johnny Rotten (John Lydon), is re-launching its famous
mail -order catalog of authentic vintage reproductions of apparel from
the "glory days of baseball. For a more casual look, Catherines offers chic
capri pants in denim, twill and cotton in a variety of prints and colors.

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digitizing yours

by The NPD Group

PORT WASHINGTON, N.

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While the company will continue to use its extensive knowledge of
American sports history to offer vintage-inspired, high-quality,
authentically replicated garments, it plans to expand into other
vintage-inspired sportswear. NEW YORK, Catherines Plus Sizes, is pleased to
announce the arrival of feminine spring looks just in time for Mother's Day.S.

2004 Top Five Best Selling Clothing Categories for Men and Women
-------------- --------------------------------------------------------
Men's Categories % Change 04/03 Women 's Categories % Change 04/03
-------------------------------------------------------------------- --
Tailored Clothing 24% Accessories 10%
-------------------------- --------------------------------------------
Fleecewear 12% Tops 9%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sleepwear 11% Swimwear 8%
----------------------------------------------- -----------------------
Swimwear 7% Intimate Apparel 8%
------ ----------------------------------------------------------------
Underwear 7% Outerwear 6%
----------------------------------------------------------------- -----
Source: The NPD Group / NPD Fashionworld Consumer

Hot Apparel Categories in 2004

Looking at the top growing apparel categories, men's tailored
clothing flew off the racks.

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If our customer is wearing a
1930s Atlanta Crackers jersey or a hat from the 1955 San Francisco
Seals , someone else will almost inevitably ask him or her about it.

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ebbets. A Catherines Plus Sizes gift card is another great option for
Mother's Day gift giving and can be purchased online at
http://www . All of Catherines' Mother's Day apparel and
accessories can be found at Catherines Plus Sizes stores nationwide as well as
on-line at http://www.

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From the very beginning, all of Ebbets Field Flannels garments
have had a common thread -- each piece comes with its own unique
historical story about a "forgotten" team or entity.
The company steers away from fads and trends, choosing to focus
exclusively on authentically made garments that are timeless and never
go out of style.

(Photo: http://www.
Throughout the nineties, the apparel industry witnessed steady
growth, peaking in 2000 at nearly $176 billion.
"Consumers, especially men, realized they finally needed to update
their wardrobe because it was either out of style or it didn't fit
anymore and so they were forced to buy new clothes," said Cohen.

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Celebrate Mom in Style; Catherines Offers Mother's Day Looks for Women Sizes 16-38

Special feminine details such as beading and lace trim will make any mom
feel extra special on her day.com..

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Vintage Sports Apparel Maker Ebbets Field Flannels Back in the Ballgame; Just in Time for Spring Maker of Authentically Replicated Baseball Apparel and Other

The company is adding a
new online component to keep pace with its expanding product line and
to provide further historical background and opinion.
Those seeking the perfect Mother's Day present can also choose from
Catherines ' wide selection of accessories including jewelry, hats and
handbags. Children's
apparel sales were $29 billion, showing the same sales from 2003.

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This knowledge, plus Cohen's
exhaustive research of the correct materials and construction methods
of vintage clothing, formed the basis of Ebbets Field Flannels., provides stylish, high-quality fashion for plus-size women in
sizes 16W-38W.. Total men's tailored clothing sales were
over $4 billion dollars in 2004, up from over $3 billion in 2003 .

embossed tailors

Co-founders Jerry
Cohen and Lisa Cooper were the first to exclusively focus on producing
exact replicas of garments from obscure teams, including ones from the
Negro Leagues, the Federal League of 1914-1915, former minor leagues
and the old Cuban and Latin American leagues.
"Through the years we've found people buy our hats and jerseys because
they want something that represents a unique piece of sports history.after all, you can
only wear your khakis for so long before they wear out or don't fit
anymore," said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst, The NPD Group.
"Women, on the other hand, played dress-up by adding color and
feminine florals to their closets," said Cohen.

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" While the initial catalog will consist
mostly of authentically replicated vintage baseball jerseys , caps and
jackets, the company will soon introduce other vintage wear such as
old roller derby uniforms, filling station attendant apparel and
women's softball shirts.
As a child growing up with a father who was an avid Brooklyn
Dodgers and Jackie Robinson fan, Cohen developed both an obsession
with baseball uniforms and an extensive knowledge of sports history,
including racial issues within the sport."

Breaking the Mold

While the company is equally dedicated to telling pieces of
history and replicating garments, its leaders are also fervently
committed to keeping full creative control over its apparel lines.

New and Improved

Ebbets Field Flannels is making a few changes for the better.

With over 450 stores, Catherines Plus-Sizes, a subsidiary of The Charming
Shoppes, Inc. 23, 2005: Headline of release should read: The NPD Group
Reports U .
Men's fleecewear and sleepwear also displayed strong growth, up 12
percent and 11 percent respectively .

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This commitment has often pitted the company against some of the major
sports leagues , who have a emphasis on image and marketing versus
authenticity and accuracy..