Lane bryant biography

Lena Himmelstein was a Jewish orphan from Lithuania who invented maternity wear and plus-sized clothing. She was a businesswoman, wife and mother who pioneered customer service and employee profit-sharing.

Born in 1879, Lena was orphaned at a young age and came to the United States alone at age 16. She supported herself as a seamstress, making one dollar a week. She was so skilled that she was soon making fifteen dollars a week.

Lena married David Bryant, a Russian jeweler, who tragically died right after their son Raphael was born. She continued working as a seamstress, specializing in lingerie and sleepwear. When she opened her first bank account, the clerk mistakenly recorded her name as “Lane” rather than “Lena” – making her professional name Lane Bryant.

After remarrying in 1909, Lena’s new husband Albert Malsin became her business partner, and they had two children. Albert focused on the business side of the company while Lena was in charge of design. Lena identified an unfilled need in the clothing market: pregnant women couldn’t find anything “presentable but comfortable” to wear. In the 19th century, pregnant women remained home once their condition was apparent, but by the early 20th century, women wanted the freedom to venture outside even while e

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Lane Bryant, Inc.

8655 East Broad Street
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068
U.S.A.
Telephone: (614) 577-4000
Fax: (614) 577-4219
Web site: http://www.lanebryant.com

Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Charming Shoppes, Inc.
Incorporated: 1914
Employees: 10,000
Sales: $903.6 million (2004)
NAIC: 448120 Women's Clothing Stores; 448150 Clothing Accessories Stores

Lane Bryant, Inc., is the largest plus-size retailer in the United States. It sells its modestly priced, mostly private-label apparel through a chain of about 700 retail stores and an innovative web site. Half of American women wear a size 14 or larger; Lane Bryant specializes in the style-conscious, 25-to 45-year-old segment of the market. Lane Bryant, Inc. is not affiliated with Lane Bryant catalog (Brylane, Inc.), which was spun off as a separate business in 1993.

Immigrant Origins

The story of Lane Bryant begins with Lena Bryant, a Lithuanian immigrant who immigrated to New York City in 1895. After she arrived, she found that her family had arranged her marriage to the gentleman who had paid her passage. She refused, and the 16-year-old took a job sewing lingerie in a factory to support herself. She developed her skills and increased her weekly salary from one dollar to $15 over the course of several years

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