Plus-Size Retailer Sonsi.com Celebrates First Anniversary with Relaunch, Unveils New Style Your Way™ Outfitting Tool

BENSALEM, Pa., June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On the eve of its first anniversary, Sonsi, the award-winning online shopping and social destination designed exclusively for plus-size women, gets a head-to-toe makeover of its own that's as sweeping as it is stylish. Stepping out with a fresh new look and feel, Sonsi is putting the therapy back into retail for a historically underserved consumer.  Sonsi is launching a fun, new social shopping tool designed to take the guesswork out of finding the perfect outfit. A Web first for full figured women, Sonsi's new "Style Your Way™ outfitting tool" invites plus-size women of all shapes and sizes into the glamorous world of fashion styling, where they can put their own style ideas to work for themselves and others.

Nearly 60 percent of American women are size 12 and up, and are no longer content to be the silent majority.  Sonsi's new upgrade sets the industry bar for personalized online customer service and social engagement to a new high. Sonsi's new Style Your Way outfitting tool takes shopping online for clothes to a new interactive level by letting plus-size women create a personal online wardrobe, share their individually styled outfits with friends and other women for feedback, and tap into each others' inspiration. Once they find an outfit they love, women can purchase their styled outfits directly from the tool.

Citing Sonsi's Style Your Way outfitting tool as a breakthrough for curvy women, Sonsi General Manager and Publisher, Jill Hutchison, is certain the new tool will lead them to discover just how much fun social shopping can be. "Whether our customers' lifestyles require them to be dressed for success, out and about, playing with the kids or just relaxing at home, this unique outfitting experience makes it easy for them to plan, coordinate and accessorize their wardrobes online," says Hutchison. "With access to thousands of items, Style Your Way is like a personal fashion help desk.  It gives women validation, inspiration and a peek at what's worked for other women their size. This is exactly what plus-size gals have been waiting for!"

In addition, Charming Shoppes' universal shopping cart - which connects the brands Lane Bryant, Catherines, Fashion Bug, Cacique and Loop 18 - now includes Sonsi and its assortment of over 380 brands. In a move designed to offer even more convenience to its customers, Sonsi now offers the option for customers to have any order, with any combination of brands, shipped to any of the Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug or Catherines 2,000 nationwide store locations for pickup.  Women save time shopping a vast selection of merchandise with a single checkout and save money: the ship-to-store option is free!

Style Gets Personal on Sonsi.com

Sonsi hopes its Style Your Way outfitting tool will inspire women to achieve their full fashion potential by allowing them to interact with the plus-size community and learn what fits and flatters their individual figures.  Enlisting the help of fashion maven and plus size celebrity stylist Susan Moses, Sonsi will give Style Your Way visitors an insider's view of Susan's favorite ensembles across a variety of "what to wear" categories. In addition to getting a peek at the looks experts and fellow fashionistas have created, Style Your Way customers will be able to browse ready-made ensembles created by Sonsi stylists addressing a wide range of day wear into evening occasions.

According to NPD Group Chief Industry Analyst, Marshal Cohen, the multi-billion dollar plus-size apparel market "is at the beginning of a growth stage." With more than half the population shopping for plus-size apparel, Sonsi's Hutchison is not surprised and believes that the market is ready for innovative tools that will take it to the next level. "Sonsi is pleased to offer conveniences such as a single check-out, ship-to-store and an outfitting tool that meet the needs of this underserved market. We are dedicated to bringing these women a variety of fashion choices in a fun, community-based environment that embraces beauty in all shapes and sizes," added Hutchison.

Nearly a year ago, Sonsi.com began as a new social commerce concept that merged fashion retail with magazine-style content and social networking, specifically for full-figured women.  Since its June 2010 launch, Sonsi.com continues to expand its collection, with new brands like IGIGI by Yuliya Raquel, Sydney's Closet®, Sealed With A Kiss Designs, PalmBeach Jewelry and more. In celebration of Sonsi's first anniversary and the launch of the Style Your Way outfitting tool, Sonsi is headed to the hub of the U.S. fashion industry - New York City - where it will once again play a leading role in Full Figured Fashion Week™, produced by DeVoe Signature Events, June 16-18.  As the event's presenting sponsor, Sonsi will stage its very first NYC runway show as part of Full Figured Fashion Week's™ grand finale runway showcase.

About Sonsi®

Launched in June 2010, Sonsi® offers one of the largest online assortments of plus-size women's apparel, accessories and more, specifically for women size 12 and up. Recently named Best Plus Multibrand Retailer in About.com's 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Sonsi® brings women notable brands in a variety of styles and price points such as Sydney's Closet®, Kiyonna™, Lane Bryant®, alight, Catherines®, Fashion Bug®, Sealed With A Kiss Designs, Cacique®, IGIGI by Yuliya Raquel and many more. Celebrating its first anniversary, in June 2011 Sonsi introduced Style Your Way™, a new outfitting tool which lets full figured women create, share and shop for outfits from the site's more than 380 brands in one convenient shopping destination. SonsiLiving®, the social side of Sonsi®, is an online social community where women can stay informed with expert information and advice covering topics such as fashion, beauty, health, relationships and more. Sonsi, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Charming Shoppes, Inc. (Nasdaq: CHRS).

SOURCE Charming Shoppes, Inc.

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