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                                  DESIGNS, INC.
                (NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

                            JEWELCOR MANAGEMENT, INC.
     (NAME OF PERSON(S) FILING DEFINITVE ADDITIONAL MATERIAL, IF OTHER THAN
                                   REGISTRANT)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 28, 1998
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Press Contact:             Jacqueline Quigley  (717) 822-6277

Designs, Inc. Founder and Chairman backs Holtzman's move to oust 5 of 6
board members.

         Seymour Holtzman,  the President and CEO of Jewelcor  Management,  Inc.
(JMI), announced today that Stanley Berger, the founder and Chairman of Designs,
Inc.  (Designs),  has  delivered  his written  consent  voting in favor of JMI's
proposals.  JMI, which owns 9.9% or 1,570,200 shares of common stock of Designs,
is seeking  written  consents from the  stockholders  of Designs to, among other
things,  remove all of the current members of the Board of Directors of Designs,
Inc. with the exception of Stanley  Berger.  Mr. Berger,  who developed the Levi
Strauss  relationship  22 years  ago and is the owner of  958,606  shares of the
company's  stock,  has indicated his  willingness to continue as the Chairman of
the  Board  of  Designs.  Mr.  Holtzman  contends  that Mr.  Berger's  continued
involvement  with the  company  is a great  benefit to the  stockholders.  "I am
gratified  that Mr.  Berger has provided his written  consent.  To me, this is a
clear indication that Mr. Berger believes that I am more motivated and suited to
enhance  stockholder  value than  management and the current Board of Directors,
who, with the exception of Mr. Berger,  only have a small ownership  interest in
the company."

         Mr.  Holtzman is  concerned  by the  substantial  decline in the market
price of Designs'  common  stock,  the  decrease in  comparable  store sales and
Designs' substantial operating losses. During the 21 month period ending October
31, 1998,  Designs  reported  operating losses of $71.4 million.  Moreover,  the
market value of Designs' stock declined approximately 90% during the period from
December 31, 1994 to November 25, 1998. Ironically, after JMI filed its Schedule
13D with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 27, 1998, the market
price of the company's stock increased from $.75 per share to a closing of $2.00
per share on December  22, 1998.  Mr.  Holtzman  stated,  "these facts speak for
themselves.  Even this price is only  approximately 1/2 of book value based upon
the company's most recent financial statements. On December 11, 1998, the CFO of
Designs,  Inc.  stated  that the  company is worth well in excess of the current
book value.  Since the stock is currently  selling for approximately 1/2 of book
value,  my opinion is that there are  obviously  a lot of  investors  who do not
believe that current management will sell the company."

         Mr.  Holtzman  stated,  "I have great  concerns  regarding  the current
Board's involvement in negotiating a sale of the company.  With the exception of
Mr. Berger, the current Board of Directors and management,



Page Two
Designs, Inc.
December 28, 1998

only own (excluding  options)  approximately 1% of the outstanding  stock.  With
that in mind, they could negotiate  substantial incentive fees for management in
connection  with the sale or merger,  receive  substantial  sign up bonuses  for
current management and obtain substantial breakup fees if the transaction is not
completed. Most importantly,  management could also grant a dilutive option to a
potential acquiror to purchase in excess of 3 million shares of Designs stock. I
intend to work  diligently for the benefit of all  stockholders,  and maintain a
"level  playing  field" for all  potential  purchasers.  If JMI's  proposals are
passed, the company's  stockholders  should be comforted by the fact that two of
the  largest  stockholders  will be  involved  with the  process of selling  the
company."

         Mr.  Holtzman  stated that,  "Stockholders  should be aware of the fact
that the  Board of  Directors  is not  obligated  to  disclose  the price of any
transaction  it decides not to accept,  and there can be no  assurance  that the
Board  of  Directors  would  not  seek  to  impose  shark  repellents  or  other
anti-takeover devices to hinder a transaction that it does not want to accept. I
am fearful that the stockholders  will not have another  opportunity to sell the
company, and I am seeking the written consents to accomplish our mutual goals."

         As the founder of the company, Mr. Berger has an excellent longstanding
22 year  relationship  with Levi Strauss & Co. Mr. Holtzman said,  "When Stanley
Berger retired four years ago, the company was highly profitable and financially
sound.  Since  that  time,  the  company  has  reported  substantial  cumulative
operating  losses.  In  my  opinion,  present  management  is  not  sufficiently
motivated to sell the company. Why should they vote themselves out of a job? The
present  management of the company has done such a dismal job, that, in my view,
they are not the best choice to be involved in the sale of the company."

         Seymour Holtzman is a highly regarded,  experienced businessman and has
a reputation that is well known in the banking  community for exerting  pressure
on under-performing banks to sell to larger financial institutions.  He has been
applauded  numerous times by institutional  and individual  stockholders for his
efforts as a shareholder activist.

         Holtzman   believes  that  in  spite  of  current   management's   poor
performance,  Designs,  Inc. is an excellent company, and if sold, will no doubt
be a great fit for a desirable strategic partner.