FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - May 20, 2002

Talbots, the leading specialty retailer of women’s classic apparel and accessories, has gone live with AVERY DENNISON™ InfoChain Express^®™ as its exclusive global solution for scan and pack, providing order integrity and timely delivery through Advanced Ship Notice.

Talbots is using InfoChain Express^® to automate and integrate its global supply chain and to ensure 100% vendor compliance as it relates to scan and pack. InfoChain Express^® provides the global platform on which Talbots communicates and interacts automatically and seamlessly with its supply chain partners, including factories and vendors.

The architecture of InfoChain Express^® enables Avery Dennison to deliver state-of-the-art implementation to meet Talbots' unique business requirements. With decades of experience in retail information management and offices in 39 countries, Avery Dennison offers unmatched capability to support users of InfoChain Express^® all over the world.

"InfoChain Express^® provides exceptional business benefits and ROI to Talbots," says Ali Ho Clemens, vice president and general manager of Avery Dennison InfoChain Express^®. "Our strength in professional services and our global presence ensure successful rollout of InfoChain Express^® to Talbots’ supplier base worldwide. That’s why Talbots, as well as many other leading retailers and brand owners, have adopted InfoChain Express^® as their exclusive global collaborative SCM and vendor compliance solution provider."

About Talbots

Talbots is a leading national specialty retailer and cataloger of women’s classic apparel, shoes and accessories. The company currently operates 838 stores — 449 Talbots Misses stores, including 19 Talbots Misses stores in Canada and five Talbots Misses stores in the United Kingdom; 215 Talbots Petites stores, including two Talbots Petites stores in Canada; 41 Talbots Accessories & Shoes stores; 62 Talbots Kids stores; 47 Talbots Woman stores; and 24 Talbots Outlet stores. Its catalog operation circulated approximately 57 million catalogs worldwide in fiscal 2001.

About Avery Dennison InfoChain Express^®

Avery Dennison InfoChain Express^® is a division of Avery Dennison Retail Information Services, which offers worldwide solutions to industry for product identification. Products and services include Web-based supply chain management solutions, service bureaus, in-house imprinting systems and software, fully and partially preprinted tags, labels and label forms, sequential bar code tags and labels, electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags and labels, fastener products and consulting services. Major markets include retail, apparel, softlines and hardgoods.

InfoChain Express^® is Avery Dennison’s industry-leading collaborative supply chain management solution. It enables retailers and brand owners to automate and integrate their global supply chains, ensure vendor compliance, and track orders on a real-time basis. With decades of experience working with retailers, brand owners and factories, and with offices in 39 countries, Avery Dennison InfoChain Express^® offers unmatched capability in global supply chain management and rapid rollout to worldwide factories. InfoChain Express^® customers include leading retailers, brand owners, and their suppliers worldwide.