North Face

At its recent I/O 2016 developer festival, Google signaled its intent to embrace artificial intelligence. With Google’s fall release of the Pixel phone and, more important, its Assistant, the transition to an AI-powered future is underway.  

The past year brought with it seismic shifts as the retail industry continued to adapt to the evolving digital landscape and changing shopping habits. It also brought with it a changing of the guard, as many companies anointed new leaders to steer their ships in a transformed marketplace.    Here are six newly arrived (or soon to arrive) CEOs to keep an eye on in 2017:    Jeff Gennette, Macy’s Inc.

The great outdoors has come to Fifth Avenue — courtesy of The North Face.   The retailer, a division of VF Corp., is opening a two-level, 20,000-sq.-ft. flagship in the old Manufacturers Trust Company building, a New York City landmark of modernist architecture. (The official opening date is Oct. 26.)  

The great outdoors arrived on Fifth Avenue today. At least that’s what North Face is shooting for with its new global flagship store in the old Manufacturers Trust Company building, a New York City landmark of modernist architecture.   Though the canyons outside the expansive windows on the second floor of store are formed by skyscrapers and not rock bluffs, North Face’s VP of direct-to-consumer retail Erik Searles finds the airy atmosphere a fitting backdrop for the high-end camping and climbing gear being merchandised there.

VF. Corp., whose brands include The North Face, Timberland and Nautica, will have a new chief executive come January.   The company announced that president and COO Steven E. Rendle will become CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2017. Rendle, 57, will succeed Eric C. Wiseman, who will continue to serve as executive chairman and work with Rendle to ensure a successful transition.    Rendle has more than 30 years of experience in the specialty outdoor and action sports industry, 16 of which have been with VF.

VF Corporation announced the promotion of Jim Pisani to the position of global brand president, Timberland, effective immediately.   Pisani most recently served as president of VF’s licensed sports group.  

The outdoor apparel retailer plans to open a flagship on Fifth Avenue, in the space formerly occupied by Canadian fast-fashion merchant Joe Fresh, the Real Deal reported.

The retailer signed an eight-year sublease from Joe Fresh for approximately 20,000 sq.ft. at Vornado Realty Trust’s landmarked building at 510 Fifth Avenue, according to the report. The space includes three levels of retail.

The North Face is also looking for a larger space in Manhattan’s SoHo area, the report said.

Specialty outdoor retailer The North Face is engaging its nature-oriented online customers in a very down-to-earth way.

The North Face is launching a new interactive online shopping experience. Using the IBM Watson artificial intelligence platform and Fluid XPS intuitive recommendation engine, customers can now use natural conversation as they shop online to receive personalized outerwear recommendations.