RETAIL : Liz Claiborne Goes High Profile With S. Coast Plaza Shop

Be it Bullock’s or Nordstrom or May Co., the Liz Claiborne line of women’s sport and professional fashions is never hard to find. And with the opening of the new Liz Claiborne store Wednesday at South Coast Plaza, it will be easier than ever.

At 11,000 square feet, the store is one of the largest speciality shops in the sprawling mall. It will offer the widest selection of the well-known line. But more important, it will help maintain a distinct and upscale image, said Allen McNary, president of Liz Claiborne’s retail group.

With its oak flooring and warm reds and greens, the store was designed to convey the look and feel of a woman’s closet, McNary said. But the big feature is the dressing rooms: They are oversized, have call buttons to summon clerks and lockboxes for valuables. Another feature is the extensive petite sportswear collection, an area that has been overlooked by other retailers, according to McNary.

The company already has a First Issue store of women’s sportswear at South Coast Plaza.

With its new store, will Liz Claiborne runs the risk of alienating the department store retailers that have sold its merchandise for so long? McNary doesn’t think so. He said the company is hoping that the new store will provide a higher profile for its clothing line, boosting sales in department stores as well.