APPAREL COMPANIES TAKING THEIR CUES FROM TUPPERWARE

Retailers are now marketing to women where they feel most comfortable: At Home. Jones Apparel and Aerosoles Shoes are encouraging women to host home shopping parties where they can sell products to their friends and family. Yes, this is the thinking woman’s Tupperware Party. The emphasis is on shopping with a social component, similar to that of Botox parties, although these are surely less lethal. Both companies have stylists available to offer fashion and styling advice on the premises.

Jones Apparel is so confident of their home shopping venture, called Million Wishes that they plan on recruiting 3,000 style consultants in 2006 and 9,000 consultants in 3 years. The products being sold from home are jewelry, handbags, belts and scarves.

President and chief executive of Jones, Rhonda Brown, said: "Million Wishes provides the Company with an alternative distribution channel, providing a network to target consumers who wish to combine the shopping experience with a social setting."

"We are optimistic that this could provide attractive profitable growth as we build our presence in the channel."

Aerosoles executives are hoping that discount incentives for both party host and guest shoppers will fuel their desire to buy shoes from home. The party host receives a free pair of shoes (if he or she sells $500 worth of shoes), and friends and family shoppers receive between 10% and 20% off their purchases, depending on how many shoes they purchase at home.

Aerosoles Bends with the trends	Jones Apparel Group speaks through Brooke