Exhibit 5



                             May 28, 1997



WestPoint Stevens Inc.
507 West Tenth Street
West Point, Georgia  31833

Gentlemen:

            I have acted as counsel to WestPoint Stevens Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing by
the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission of a Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, with respect to the offering and sale of up to 1,625,350
shares of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Common
Stock"), pursuant to the Company's Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan (the "Stock
Incentive Plan"). Terms defined in the Registration Statement and not otherwise
defined herein are used herein with the meanings as so defined.

            In so acting, I have examined originals or copies, certified or
otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of the Registration Statement and such
corporate records, agreements, documents and other instruments, and such
certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and
representatives of the Company as I have deemed relevant and necessary as a
basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth. I have also made such inquiries of
such officers and representatives as I have deemed relevant and necessary as a
basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth.

            In such examination, I have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the
conformity to original documents of documents submitted to me as certified or
photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter
documents.

            Based on the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications stated
herein, I am of the opinion that the shares of Common Stock initially issuable
pursuant to the Stock Incentive Plan will be, when issued and paid for in
accordance with the Stock Incentive Plan, validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

            The opinion herein is limited to the corporate laws of the State of
Delaware, and I express no opinion as to the effect on the matters covered by
this opinion of the laws of any other jurisdiction.

            I consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. I also consent to any and all references to myself in
the Prospectus which is part of said Registration Statement. I further consent
to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to applications to securities
commissioners of various states of the United States for registration or
qualification of the Common Stock under the securities (or "blue sky") laws of
such states.

            This opinion is rendered solely for your benefit in connection with
the transactions described above. This opinion may not be used or relied upon by
any other person and may not be disclosed, quoted, filed with a governmental
agency or otherwise referred to without my prior written consent except as noted
above.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    /s/ Christopher N. Zodrow
                                    -----------------------------------
                                    Christopher N. Zodrow