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Alabama Women Will Help to Change the Future of Fashion

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BESSEMER, Ala., May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Now through July 21, 2008, the Lane Bryant Outlet store at the WaterMark Place Outlet Center in Bessemer, AL, is hosting the Intellifit Body Measurement System, a "Virtual Fitting Room" used to garner precise body measurements in just ten seconds. Lane Bryant and Petite Sophisticates (both divisions of Charming Shoppes, Inc.) are using the Intellifit system to collect data for one of the first national studies geared to identify the true measurements of plus size and petite women.

This is the first time Intellifit, (the only scanner in the world in which customers are measured fully clothed), has been used in Alabama. Lane Bryant and Petite Sophisticates invite women from across Alabama to step into Intellifit to obtain accurate measurements and to be part of the study.

Any adult -- male or female -- can enter the high tech, see-through, 8 foot high, 7 foot wide, Intellifit booth and be measured by the machine in 10 seconds. Customers who use the machine will receive a print out with five key measurements: bust or chest, waist, height, seat and crotch elevation (in seam). Measurements are accurate to 1cm. Women whose measurements fall within the size parameters for Lane Bryant and Petite Sophisticates (14W-28W and 0-14 petite, respectively) will be counted in the study.

Lane Bryant Outlet is giving each woman who is measured by the machine a $5 gift certificate as a gesture of appreciation for their participation.

The vertical "wand" in the Intellifit System rotates around the fully clothed customer in about ten seconds. A millimeter radio wave bounces off the person's body, recording over 200,000 points in space. The Intellifit software then converts the "points-circuit" into dozens of accurate body measurements.

The measurements are collected and are added to an ever-growing database, which will be used to improve overall fit of garments made for women who wear petite sizes or size 14 and larger. Once thousands of measurements have been taken and recorded, technical analysts will begin the arduous task of looking for patterns across regional/age and other lines.

Most of today's data on fit was initially collected by the U.S. government during World War II, when thousands of American women were measured for military uniforms. The largest percentage of women in service was a missy-sized population. Although there have been some incremental changes in body measurement standards over the years, the data was not sufficient to reflect the body size and shapes of today's American petite and plus-size women.

With over 700 stores, Lane Bryant is the nation's largest, women's plus-size specialty retailer and provides stylish, high-quality fashion for plus-size women in sizes 14-28. Lane Bryant offers a wide selection of apparel from career to casual--as well as a collection of accessories, hosiery and intimate apparel.

Petite Sophisticate Outlets, the newest subsidiary of Charming Shoppes, Inc., offers career, casual and intimate apparel styles for women 5'4" and under in sizes 0-14.

For more information on the Intellifit System, please visit http://www.intellifit.com.

Located in Bessemer, AL, next to Alabama Adventure, WaterMark Place provides the ultimate outlet shopping experience at stores that include Lane Bryant Outlet, Petite Sophisticates, Polo/Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Strasburg Children, Gap Outlet, Dress Barn, OshKosh B'Gosh and more. For a complete list of stores, visit http://www.watermarkoutlets.com.