The fifth floor has swim wear on one end and Saks's private-label line for women called Real Clothes on the other.

Bloomingdale's, part of Federated Department Stores, has tried to create private-label lines that match the sensibility and quality of the brand-name merchandise it sells.

Though Wal-mart was barred from selling the private-label line developed by Loblaw in Canada, the two retailers eventually parted company as they increasingly became competitors in the Canadian marketplace.

Her father owns Brugue, the company that produces private-label lines for Galeries Lafayette and its subsidiaries Monoprix and Nouvelles Galeries.

T. Anthony, a 50-year-old Park Avenue shop, has a well-established private-label line in red.

Now, she's taking that formula to Berlin, a city that has a heavy influence this season on her private-label line, called NN.

Ms. Stutz left, and the store moved to Fifth Avenue and opened branches around the country, all promoting a commercial private-label line.

CMT Enterprises Inc., which produces private-label lines for department stores, announced on Friday that it had signed a deal to manufacture and market designs by Mr. Duke.

Foot Locker has mostly dabbled in the licensed apparel business - team jerseys and the like - but will add private-label lines to its mix.

Under its agreement with Loblaw, Wal-Mart cannot sell in Canada the private-label line that Loblaw helped it develop for the United States.