NRF Session: Kellwood and Major Retailers Drive Profitability through Size Distribution Optimization

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – January 7, 2008 – Kellwood Company (NYSE: KWD) will discuss their size optimization initiatives with major retail clients at the upcoming National Retail Federation (NRF) 97th Annual Convention & Exposition in New York City:

Topic:	Kellwood and major department store retailers determine the optimal merchandise size distribution by individual store to eliminate early size breaks, increase regular priced sell-thru by door, reduce end-of-season markdowns, and reduce operational handling charges. Presenters will discuss open stock vs. prepack as well as the operational issues of implementing size optimization.
Date & Time:	Monday, January 14, 11:45AM - 12:15PM EST
Location:	Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY Room 3D04 in the EXPO Hall
Registration:	Space is limited.  Please contact 7thOnline to register or for more information at info@7thonline.com or (212) 997-1717 x0.

Kellwood selected 7thOnline Size Optimization for this initiative given 7thOnline's industry expertise as well as the success of 7thOnline's assortment planning initiatives within multiple Kellwood divisions.  Through historical POS analysis and an optimization algorithm, 7thOnline Size Optimization provides: 1) size ratios by class by store for open stock, 2) optimal pack configurations by pack size, and 3) pack distribution to accommodate individual retail store needs.  The sizing recommendations are uploaded into the 7thOnline Assortment Planning system so that merchants can seamlessly apply optimized size scales to store orders.

"Through the analysis provided by 7thOnline, we can now be confident that we are supplying our retail clients with the right sizes for each branch store that will match local demand," stated John Davis, Director of Retail Analysis and Planning Systems at Kellwood Company.  "We expect this new size optimization strategy to drive sales through greater in-stock sizes and to decrease markdowns by reducing over-stocked sizes.  The resulting increases in profit margins are a win-win for both Kellwood and our retail accounts."

"We are pleased to work with Kellwood on this initiative, as we believe improving size distribution to better match floor assortments with local consumer demand is one of the most rapid and cost-effective ways to impact profitability,"  stated Dr. Saman Hong, VP of Analytics and Optimization Solutions at 7thOnline. "All retailers and manufacturers should take advantage of this type of optimization given the minimal resource requirements and the immediate and substantial benefits."

For more information, please visit www.7thonline.com or booth #1243 at the show.

About Kellwood Company
Kellwood (NYSE:KWD) is a $1.6 billion leading marketer of apparel and consumer soft goods. Specializing in branded products, the Company markets to all channels of distribution with products and brands tailored to each specific channel.  Kellwood brands include Vince®, HOLLYWOULD®, Phat Farm®, Baby Phat®, Sag Harbor®, Koret®, Jax®, Democracy®, Sangria™, Jolt®, My Michelle®, Briggs New York®, Hanna Andersson®, Onesies®, Kelty®, Royal Robbins® and Sierra Designs®.  Calvin Klein®, XOXO®, David Meister®, Gerber®, and O Oscar, an Oscar de la Renta Company, are produced under licensing agreements. For more information, visit www.kellwood.com.

About 7thOnline, Inc.
7thOnline is the premiere provider of web-centric assortment planning and optimization solutions targeted to the global apparel, footwear, and accessories community.  7thOnline's offerings encompass visual and quantitative top-down and bottom-up assortment planning tools, powerful analytical and optimization engines, and automatic order transmission capabilities in multiple formats.  7thOnline's user community includes AK Anne Klein, Belk, Dillard's, IZOD, Jones New York, Kellwood Company, Kipling, Kohl's, Liz Claiborne, Liz Claiborne Accessories, Macy's Inc., Nautica, Phillips-Van Heusen, Sigrid Olsen, VF Corp., Villager and others.