Aeropostale

New York -- Aeropostale, Inc. will roll out its P.S. from Aeropostale brand in Mexico through a licensing partnership with Distribuidora Liverpool, S.A. de C.V.  

P.S. from Aeropostale's expansion plans in Mexico include the opening of branded in-store shops in Liverpool department stores, as well as standalone stores, across Mexico beginning in summer 2014. The first store opened in July at Sante Fe Mall in Mexico City.

New York – J. Crew was ranked number one for overall online customer service in June 2014. According to monthly benchmark analysis from customer service analysis provider StellaService, J. Crew ranked first in phone support, 10th in email support and 12th in returns.

J. Crew last topped the rankings in January, but is one of only six companies to remain within the top 25 since that beginning of the year.

Clothing company Kellwood has named Marc Babins the president of its western region. Babins — who has been in the apparel industry for most of his career — will head up Kellwood’s largest operations unit in City in Industry, California.

With coupons for anywhere from J.C. Penney to Jos. A. Bank, instant savings are now in people’s pockets with the addition of Groupon Freebies to the coupon giant’s mobile app.

The feature, which was launched late in 2013 on Groupon’s website, was added to its mobile app on Tuesday. With Freebies now available to deal seekers on the go, some 30,000 coupons, discount codes and other deals that it features will be at customers’ fingertips.

New York — Sycamore Partners announced Monday that it bought the going-out-of-business Coldwater Creek brand and other intellectual property through an affiliate company during the  apparel chain’s  bankruptcy proceedings.  The private equity firm said it plans to re-launch Coldwater Creek as an independent portfolio company, but it did not give a timeline for the launch.

Terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed.

New York – Edward H. Finkelstein, former chairman and CEO of the company now known as Macy’s Inc., died of natural causes at his home in Thousand Oaks, California, on May 31. He was 89.

Finkelstein led Macy’s in the 1970s and 1980s and launched concepts including the Aeropostale apparel chain, which was later sold off, as well as several private brands. Finkelstein left the company in 1992 after 44 years, following a bankruptcy filing.

New York - Aeropostale Inc. has entered into definitive agreements with respect to its previously announced strategic partnership and $150 million senior secured credit facilities with Sycamore Partners. As previously announced on March 13, 2014, the senior secured credit facilities with affiliates of Sycamore Partners consist of a five-year $100 million term loan facility and a ten-year $50 million term loan facility that includes a sourcing arrangement with MGF Sourcing, also an affiliate of Sycamore Partners.

Aeropostale has added Stefan Kaluzny, managing director at Sycamore Partners, and Julian Geiger, former director and CEO of Crumbs Bake Shop and former chairman and CEO of Aeropostale, to its board of directors.

Arthur Rubinfeld is also stepping down as a director of Aeropostale. In addition, the company's board of directors will nominate Kenneth Gilman, currently a director of Zale Corp. and Kate Spade & Co., for election as an independent director.

New York – Aeropostale Inc. reported a net loss of $76.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014, up from the $12.2 million net loss it reported a year earlier. It also projected a second-quarter loss forecast bigger than analysts expected.

The struggling retailer, which has reported a loss for six consecutive quarters, had a generally difficult quarter overall, as net sales fell 12% to $395.9 million from $452.3 million and same-store sales decreased 13%.  Aeropostale has reported declining comparable sales for seven straight quarters.

New York -- Aeropostale Inc. will close approximately 125 of its mall-based P.S. from Aeropostale kids’ stores by the end of its fiscal year and cut about 100 corporate jobs as part of a larger turnaround effort.