Jones Apparel Group has four divisions and is known for brands like Nine West, Easy Spirit, Polo, and Lauren. It focuses on downstream design and marketing of women's apparel. The apparel industry is extremely intense and competitive with high rivalry, bargaining power of buyers, and barriers to entry. Jones Apparel Group pursues a multi-brand strategy across a diverse portfolio to diversify and acquire moderate market brands for growth. Its strategy has been successful in broadening its portfolio and reducing reliance on single brands, though it was slow to respond to the youth and plus-size markets.