Lame Giant (Lane Bryant nickname)

Lane Bryant is a plus-size women’s clothing store chain that was founded In 1904 in New York City, at Fifth Avenue between 119th and 120th streets. Lena Himmelstein Bryant Malsin (1877-1951) specialized in clothing for pregnant customers and is credited with having designed the first line of maternity clothes.
 
The nickname “Lame Giant” for “Lane Bryant” has been cited in print since at least 1998.
 
   
Wikipedia: Lane Bryant
Lane Bryant is a United States retail women’s clothing store chain focusing on plus-size clothing. It began in the early 1900s with the innovative maternity designs created by Lena Himmelstein Bryant Malsin.

Beginning
Widowed at an early age, Lena Bryant supported herself and her young son as a dressmaker. Borrowing $300 for working capital from her brother-in-law, Lena went to the bank to open an account. The bank officer misspelled her name on the application as Lane instead of Lena. In 1904, she rented a small storefront on Fifth Avenue with living quarters in the back for $12.50 a month. There she hung her garments from the gas fixtures, and opened the doors.
 
Asked by one of her pregnant customers to design something “presentable but comfortable” to wear in public, Lena created a dress with an elasticized waistband and accordion pleated skirt. This would be the first known commercially-made maternity dress. This dress not only was welcomed by middle-class women, but by poorer pregnant women who had to work. The maternity dress soon became the best-selling garment in Lena’s shop.
   
Google Groups: soc.support.fat-acceptance
Newsgroups: soc.support.fat-acceptance
From: Terri Williams
Date: 1998/05/12
Subject: Re: Catalog tangent
 
FWIW, Lame Giant’s newest catalog has one pocket t-shirts in lightweight cotton/poly with matching leggings in loads of colors, up to size 5X (58-60) for 11.88 each.
   
Google Groups: soc.support.fat-acceptance.moderated
Newsgroups: soc.support.fat-acceptance.moderated
From: “Robin King”

Date: Mon, 31 Dec 2001 07:47:44 GMT
Local: Mon, Dec 31 2001 2:47 am
Subject: Opinions wanted on Lane Bryant Catalog
 
Well, from ancient experience, I’ve never actually trusted the Brylane people (or, as they’ve been affectionately called around here, Lame Giant).
 
Dimensions Forums
Lane Bryant is officially now “Lame Giant”
MissToodles
02-25-2006, 04:19 PM
I’m almost glad I cannot fit into the majority of their shirts.
 
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Nickname that store
November 30, 2010 8:53 AM
(...)
Lane Bryant = Lame Giant
posted by missrachael at 5:41 PM on November 30, 2010