Accessories

Ascena Retail Group has a new senior vice president to lead the company through its next phase of growth.

The company announced that Duane Holloway has been named Senior Vice President and General Counsel, effective immediately. Holloway will serve on the company’s leadership team and report to David Jaffe, President and CEO. He will be responsible for overseeing all legal matters for the Company.

Ascena Retail Group has a new senior VP to lead the company through its next phase of growth.

The company announced that Duane Holloway has been named senior VP and general counsel, effective immediately. Holloway will serve on the company’s leadership team and report to David Jaffe, president and CEO. He will be responsible for overseeing all legal matters for the Company.

Salt Lake City -- X Team International, an international alliance of retail real estate advisors, announced that partners Mountain West Retail and Investment, Dunbar Commercial and Endeavor Real Estate Group, completed three sale-leaseback transactions to Capview Partners for Melrose Family Fashions totaling 32,160 sq. ft. The Melrose Family Fashions stores included in the transaction are located in three Texas cities: Laredo, Odessa and Rio Grande City.

Nordstrom Rack is coming to New Orleans.

Forever 21 is growing its its lower-priced format, F21 RED.

The chain has opened three new stores, with locations in Brooklyn, New York; San Diego, California and Kendall, Florida. The Brooklyn store is 35,000 sq. ft., while the San Diego and Kendall locations are more than 20,000 sq. ft.

Forever 21 launched F21 RED, which carries merchandise for men, women and children, in the first quarter of 2014. There are currently more than 20 F21 locations in the United States.

Charming Charlie opened its first location in the Philippines, at Bonifacio High Street Central Square.

The location showcases the brand’s newest retail store concept, and features signature double doors in vibrant pink lacquer and a residential-style interior that mixes feminine, mid-century accents with luxe materials and whimsical details.

In the Philippines, Charming Charlie is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, a member of SSI Group, Inc., which has further growth planned for the brand in Cebu and Manila next year.

Lillian Vernon, who grew a home business selling monogrammed pocketbooks and belts, into one of America's best-known mail-order businesses, died on Monday. She was 88.

Vernon and her family came to the United States in 1937 as Jewish immigrants from Germany fleeing Hitler. She was newly married and pregnant with her first child when she started her business in 1951.

The Lillian Vernon Corp. was the first company owned by a woman to be listed on the American Stock Exchange, in 1987, according to the New York Times.

Denton, Texas -- The Weitzman Group announced it’s brokered a deal with Francesca's for 1,200 sq. ft. of retail space in Golden Triangle Mall, located in Denton, Texas. This will be Francesca’s first location in Denton.

Blake Shipp with the Commercial Retail Division of The Weitzman Group and Paul Burridge with MGHerring Group handled negotiations for the mall. Robert J. Wright with Collett Southwest represented the retailer.

New York -- Douglas Elliman's Retail Group has arranged a lease for LF Stores at 1258 Third Avenue, New York, New York. Located between 72nd and 73rd Streets, the space offers 30 feet of frontage on one of Manhattan's premier avenues for ladies' fashion and fine dining. The Los Angeles-based brand has 30 stores nationwide, including five in the New York Metropolitan area, including one in Soho, and is designed to appeal to teens and young adults.

A merchant that grew from a small boutique in West Hollywood with a celebrity clientele to a multi-store operation is going out of business.

Kitson announced that it is closing its 17 stores, which are located in California, Oregon and Nevada. As of December 11, its e-commerce site had already been shut down.