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J.C. PENNEY has broken free of its suburban parking area to invade Herald Square, and the most frequent question on New York's collective lips seems to be: Why? Why would this perennially square department store bother to reanimate itself in Manhattan -- in the sleekest, scariest fashion city in America -- during a hair-raising economic downturn, without taking the opportunity to vigorously rebrand itself? Why would this dowdy Middle American entity waddle into Midtown in its big old shorts and flip-flops without even bothering to update its ancient Helvetica Light logo, which for anyone who grew up with the company is encrusted with decades of boring, even traumatically parental, associations? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Focuses on the popularity of lingerie displays as merchandising strategies employed by departments stores in New York. Influences of the concept; Increase in lingerie sales; Response of shoppers to the trend.