corporate info

TORONTO, Aug. 4, 2005 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) -- Consumers are having a love affair with premium denim jeans. Last year over 2 billion pairs of jeans were sold in Canada. Why all the interest and hoopla? Annie Helegda, Sears Trend Manager for apparel and accessories, says that part of the reason there has been such resurgence in the popularity of jeans is the quality and fit of premium denim jeans. When you put premium denim jeans on, they contour to the shape of your body and feel like they've been yours for the past 10 years.

Inspired by the wash and fit of designer premium denim, Sears introduces its own line of premium denim jeans, under its private label brand of denim 'Nevada'. Aimed at the contemporary customer, the new 'Nevada' jean collection blends great fit, fine fabric and fabulous washes with impeccable construction and style at an affordable price point.

The new 'Nevada' premium jean, which hits Sears stores this fall, will stand apart from the Nevada denim jean label introduced in the late eighties. Targeted at the fashion conscious consumer, Sears will introduce the jean at a higher price point. Fashion styles will retail for $69.99 for both men and women.

Jeans in 'Nevada's' premium collection will have the word "premium" embroidered on the inside waistband and on the folded woven label. Details on the jean include reinforced bar tacking, chain stitching, embossed rivets and back pocket embroidery.

"By the looks of things, the designer denim trend is not slowing down," says Annie Helegda. "What makes jeans such an attractive option to today's consumer is that they can be worn anywhere. It's not unusual for people to wear their jeans to the office or out for a night on the town. They dress them up or dress them down according to the look or mood they want to achieve."

Sears hopes that with the latest expansion, 'Nevada' premium denim jeans can become a popular jean among jean aficionados.

Sears, where more Canadians spend more of their fashion dollars than anywhere else in Canada, currently has 122 full-line department stores, 49 Sears Home stores, over 2,200 catalogue merchandise pick-up locations, 152 dealer stores, 13 outlet stores, 50 floor covering centres, 5 Mattress and Appliance stores, 2 Coverings stores, 113 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and installation network. The Company also publishes Canada's most extensive general merchandise catalogue and offers shopping online at www.sears.ca.

SOURCE: Sears Canada Inc.

Eliana Cugini, Sears Corporate Communications, (416) 941-4426, ecugini@sears.ca