Nantucket, Mass.

Last month lululemon athletica opened a store in Durham, N.C. Three weeks later Athleta, Gap's answer to Lululemon, opened in the same mall. The pattern of lululemon opening a store only to see an Athleta shop pop up nearby is happening nationwide as Gap mounts the most potent threat so far to the Vancouver-based yoga powerhouse. Athleta is borrowing from its rivals playbook, then undercutting the chain on price. Like lululemon, Athleta is hooking up with local yoga instructors and sponsoring classes such as Mommy & Me Yoga. 

New York-based designer women's clothing company Nina McLemore Inc. has opened its first-ever New York retail store. "There is a serious gap in the apparel industry for women who want chic, understated, elegant clothing for day through evening," said Nina McLemore, founder and CEO of Nina McLemore Inc. "My collections are based on quality fabrics and tailoring, a sense of style and a strong feminine image, not provocative fashion trends." Located at 1023 Lexington Ave. at 73rd Street in New York's Upper East Side neighborhood, the new store offers a range of women's fashions. Currently, the company operates a