Eagle Hardware and Garden has a hot retailing concept and a big Wall Street following.

Wellcome was the first to introduce a "self-service" retailing concept.

Macy once measured success in rising market share and innovative retailing concepts.

Mr. Petrie's greatest coup in recent years was his realization that Toys "R" Us, the toy superstore, was a terrific retailing concept.

American merchants have been cautious in mining overseas markets, mindful of the difficulties of transferring retailing concepts from one culture to another.

Shaver's era ended officially upon her death in 1959, but her legacy and innovative retailing concepts continue at Lord & Taylor to this day.

"Kohl's has created a new retailing concept," she said, offering the convenience of discount stores with the name brands of department stores - and at attractive prices.

A new retailing concept, medium-sized specialty stores that provide clothing for affluent professional women in a setting where shopping can be quick and efficient, has run into problems.

A spokeswoman for Mr. Armani said it was "a whole retailing concept" and that a SoHo location would be the prototype for more stores.

"The Attorney General has ignored that this is an industry continuing to evolve," he said, referring to new retailing concepts, like warehouse stores, that have altered competition.