Large Bryant Figures

For many a year now have fashions been cruel to the heavy. With dress designers concentrating on eliminating all the differences between the shadow cast by a woman and the shadow cast by a barber's pole, women of generous poundage have been consistently unfortunate. Present fashion forecasts, it is true, predict that the straight line will this year make some concessions to the curve. But even such contours as may be established will probably be willowy rather than rotund, graceful rather than pronounced.

But lean years in fashions are no lean years for Lane Bryant, Inc., No. 1 W. 39th Street, Manhattan, outfitters of the ample. For it is the specialty of the Lane Bryant stores so to drape the stout figure that its outlines may be reduced, restricted, curbed. Many an "outsize" woman has come away from Lane Bryant's with the comfortable feeling that 20 superfluous pounds have been deftly hidden in the subtle folds of the Bryant draperies. And, though the business was begun largely with the idea of catering to the naturally stout woman (TIME, June 4), the unmodish evidences of approaching motherhood supplied additional market with which the Bryant stores are now most prominently associated. They have, indeed, made a further extension and now do a brisk trade in layettes.

Prospering, expanding, Lane Bryant, Inc. last week announced the purchase of Associated Apparel Stores, holding company for the Newman & Benton chain of eleven cloak and suit establishments; have also bought the Spies Store, Newark, and plan soon to open stores in Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati. It is intended that the Bryant chain shall eventually include no less than 100 service stations for the stout. The present Bryant system does an annual business of about $15,000,000, some 40% by mail.