Atlantans' business geared toward curvy jeans fits

PZI jeans, denim designed with curvier women in mind, launched with three employees in the back of the couple's law office. Today, Perazzi Apparel Company, LLC is a $2.1 million business with clothing in 600 stores nationwide including select Macy's. In 2008, the company ranked 372 on Inc.'s list of the 500 fastest growing private companies in America and the Jasons' investment is starting to look less risky.

Denim is one of the few apparel categories that is still growing, with dollar volume sales of jeans rising 2.3 percent from December 2008 to February 2009, compared to a 6.3 percent decline in total apparel sales for the same time period, according to data from NPD Group, Inc.

To better position themselves for the future, the couple assumed more hands on roles at the company. Claire Jason serves as vice president and creative director. Dan Jason is president.

A few days a week, they can be found in the conference room at company headquarters in a nondescript office park in Tucker. White, black, gray and blue denim in boot-cut, skinny and wide-leg styles hangs on the walls along with ruffle front shirts, skirts and other apparel items that have become part of the PZI mix. But it's the denim that Claire Jason is most passionate about as she recounts the rise of PZI.

Once they decided to target curvy women, Jason conducted extensive research. Much of the denim on the market stopped at a 31 or 32 inch waist, had low rises (the distance from waistband to crotch) and cost well over $100 — all of which she decided would not apply to PZI.

Jason worked with manufacturers to perfect the "PZI smile" which she demonstrates by laying a pair of jeans flat on the table and pointing to the upward curving contoured waistband. When the proper fit was established, they created a fit chart based on hip, waist and inseam measurements to show women and retailers how to find the right size in PZI jeans. Unlike other denim companies that offer several cuts, the PZI cut is always the same, but the jeans come in a variety of silhouettes each requiring certain tweaks to accommodate curvy figures. Zipper structure, pocket size and slimness of the thigh, are all considered from the perspective of a curvy body.

With an average price of $70, PZI was a departure from the rapidly multiplying premium brands. "It's not that PZI can't create premium denim. We just made a decision to keep it affordable. Our denim is made in the same factories as some high-end brands," Jason said.

In-house designers work closely with manufacturers in Mexico, China and Pakistan who execute the designs for six to eight new products per season. It takes about six months from design to delivery.

PZI got a boost when the brand was picked up by select Macy's stores. Testimonials flowed in from women who felt they finally had a brand that fit, said Jason. Always receptive to customer feedback, she added sizes 4 and 16 to the line, as well as an extra-long inseam.

As much success as they've had as a small brand in a sea of denim sharks, there have been some growing pains. Online sales, launched just over a year ago, helped them reach customers as far as Australia and London, but problems surfaced with delivery and quality control. They stopped outsourcing and moved all operations including customer service and order fulfillment to the Tucker facility where they recently expanded the warehouse.

The online store has helped the company sustain profits, Jason said, but competition is getting stiff. In the past year, two well-known premium lines have entered the curvy market. J. Brand, known for its skinny jeans, introduced Blue Label last summer, while Cookie Johnson, wife of Magic Johnson, recently partnered with the denim genius behind Rich and Skinny.

For PZI to compete, they will have to battle giants who know the denim and fashion industries well. The company has struggled to establish a strong brand identity as retailers and consumers have sometimes equated curvy to plus-size and assumed that jeans under $100 must be low quality.

Jason said they hired several new staffers to help them get a handle on the fashion industry and there are plans to start a premium line (averaging $89), as well as marketing strategies to reach a broader group of women since curvy women run the gamut from J. Lo to Scarlett Johansson.

"We are still growing and still identifying ourselves," said Ruth Elizondo, director of public relations and marketing. "We are watching to learn how to target that curvy woman in a way she wants to be perceived. I think we will be able to claim that woman."