Lerner becomes Metrostyle

Billed as “the new face of Lerner catalog,” Metrostyle will also become the new name of the women’s apparel catalog next year.

Metrostyle is part of New York-based multititle mailer Redcats USA, the U.S. division of French conglomerate Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR). Other Redcats USA titles include women’s apparel books Chadwick’s, La Redoute, and Roaman’s, menswear catalog KingSize, and Brylane Home.

Christophe Gaigneux, executive vice president of Redcats USA’s Boston Apparel Group, says Metrostyle and Lerner will co-exist for the remainder of the year, but Metrostyle will be the official name of the Lerner catalog as of Jan. 1, 2007. Why? The license agreement between Redcats USA and retailer New York & Co. ends this year, with the Lerner name — formerly the name of the primary store chain of New York & Co. — reverting back to the original owner.

“We decided to take one year to transition,” Gaigneux says. “We own the Metrostyle name and no longer will rely on a third party for the ground-building of our business.”

Lerner isn’t the only name that Redcats USA will be losing the rights to. Next year the plus-size women’s apparel brand Lane Bryant reverts back to Charming Shoppes, the retailer that has owned and operated the Lane Bryant stores since 2001.

Lerner Becomes Metrostyle

Billed as “the new face of Lerner catalog,” Metrostyle will also become the new name of the women’s apparel catalog next year.

Metrostyle is a brand of New York-based multititle cataloger Redcats USA, the U.S. division of French direct marketing powerhouse Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR). Other Redcats USA titles include women’s apparel books Chadwick’s, La Redoute, and Roaman’s, menswear catalog KingSize, and Brylane Home.

Christophe Gaigneux, executive vice president of Redcats USA’s Boston Apparel Group, says Metrostyle and Lerner will co-exist for the remainder of the calendar year, and Metrostyle will be the official new name of the Lerner catalog as of Jan. 1, 2007. The reason for the switch: The license agreement between Redcats USA and retailer New York & Co. ends this year, with the Lerner name—formerly the name of the primary store chain of New York & Co.—reverting back to the original owner.

“We decided to take one year to transition,” Gaigneux says. “We own the Metrostyle name and no longer will rely on a third party for the ground-building of our business. We manage the destiny of our own brand.” Lerner/Metrostyle offers value-priced clothing for the fashion-forward women. According to its datacard, it has 660,000 12-month buyers with an average age of 40 and an average income of $45,000.

Lerner isn’t the only brand name that Redcats USA will be losing the rights to. Next year the Lane Bryant brand reverts back to Charming Shoppes, the retailer that has owned and operated the Lane Bryant stores since 2001. Redcats USA’s Lane Bryant catalog, like the Lane Bryant stores, sells plus-size women’s apparel.