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ever the customer wants, we’ll try to get.” She’s quickly becom- ing the wholesaler she’s always wished to deal with. Even as Madison Avenue


Closeouts begins to widen its appeal, the clothiers at SWAK (Sealed With a Kiss) Designs are laser focused on their target audi- ence, plus sized apparel wearers. The Canoga Park, CA company, in business for about four years, fi lls a need that founder, Brad Capo, recognized. “The idea came from the women around him,” says Sarah Sapora, direc- tor of marketing and business


development at SWAK. “He saw there was a need for this niche to be fi lled.” While casting about for a company name, Capo saw his mother plant a kiss on his daughter’s cheek, and the com- pany name was born. SWAK has one driving


thought behind its efforts, the idea being that fashion should be fun and accessible for any wom- an. “We help make good clothes affordable for all women,” Sa- pora says. “Just because you’re plus sized doesn’t mean you have a lot of money to spend.” The company’s strongest sell- ers are dresses, particularly the “Veronica” style. “The Veronica comes in a really fi gure friendly shape for plus sized women,” Sapora says. “Made out of light-


weight fabric, it’s a joy to wear. It comes in a nice print design, and has worked so well for us that buyers keep reordering it,” she adds. Another popular style is the “Victoria,” which is made like the Veronica but is shorter and with sleeves. Both dresses wholesale for around $34 and retail for $69 each. There is a $250 minimum


order from SWAK, but that can include any number of options. “You can buy any combination of sizes and shapes,” Sapora says. “We try to offer everyone fi ne fashion that is price friendly and fl attering to all women. Not ev- eryone is able to stock expensive dresses,” she says. Coming up in the spring, the company has continued on page 76


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