Apparel

Chico’s FAS has enlisted Borderfree — a leading operator of an international technology and services platform — to help the omnichannel specialty retailer expand its e-commerce capabilities globally.

As a result of the partnership, the retailer will now be able to transact with shoppers in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide in more than 60 global currencies.

According to Lands’ End president and CEO Edgar Huber, the company is well positioned to continue executing against its strategic initiatives to drive long-term sales and earnings growth.

The retailer, which completed its separation from Sears on April 4, has achieved double digit year-over-year adjusted EBITDA growth for more than four consecutive quarters as of the second quarter of fiscal 2014.

Houston -- Francesca's Holdings Corp. on Tuesday reported second quarter net income of $10.3 million, down from $14.6 million in the year-earlier period. Earnings and sales both fell short of estimates. The retailer also lowered its earnings outlook for the year.

Net sales rose 9% to $97.3 million, driven largely by new openings. Total apparel sales increased 14%, accessories sales increased 14%, and gift sales increased 25%. The gains were offset by a 12% decrease in jewelry sales,

Same-store sales fell 7%.

Mahwah, N.J. - Ernest LaPorte has joined Ascena Retail Group Inc. as senior VP/chief accounting officer. LaPorte will oversee Ascena’s accounting, financial reporting and accounting shared service functions.

For the last seven years, LaPorte held the position of senior VP/controller at Saks Inc. Prior to Saks, LaPorte worked at the Movado Group Inc. as VP of finance and principal accounting officer and Barnes & Noble, where he spent six years in finance.

Plano, Texas – J.C. Penney Company Inc. is raising capital by selling $350 million worth of senior notes due in 2019. The proceeds will mostly be used by pay off fees and expenses related to previous senior notes offering coming due in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

New York - Online retailer Beyond the Rack has signed a long-term, 3,944-sq.-ft. lease at 561 Seventh Avenue, which will serve as the firm’s U.S. headquarters, with Handler Real Estate Organization. The tenant, relocating from the Bryant Park area, will occupy the entire third floor at 561 7th Avenue in December, pending build-out of the space.

Niles, Ohio – Discount apparel retailer Gabriel Brothers opens a new store at the Eastwood Mall Complex in early November. The new 64,900-sq.-ft. store will open in the McKinley Centre section of the complex, near PetSmart and Big Lots.

The Eastwood Mall Complex offers more than 200 department stores, specialty shops, restaurants and entertainment options. The Eastwood Mall Complex is owned and managed in association with Cafaro-affiliated companies, based in Youngstown, Ohio.

King of Prussia, Pa. -- Destination XL Group Inc. has successfully implemented eBay Enterprise ship-from store solution in more than 100 stores. An eBay Enterprise Dropship Manager client since 2012, the combined solutions give DXLG more than 200 fulfillment locations to expand product availability to its customers.

The cloud-based eBay Enterprise ship-from store module has been deployed across the Destination XL (DXL) and Rochester Clothing stores to provide more options and choices to DXLG’s diverse customer base.

Duluth, Minn. -- Maurices, a subsidiary of the Ascena Retail Group, announced that Ali Wing has been named chief marketing officer, executive VP of digital commerce. Wing joins Maurices after 10 years as CEO and founder of giggle, a multichannel retailer, wholesaler and licenser of baby products.

Toronto -- Visual search platform Slyce Inc. and action sports retailer Tilly's announced the upcoming launch of "Tilly's Snap Shop." The service enables Tilly's shoppers to open the mobile website on their smartphone, snap photos of desired items within any of Tilly's seasonal collection catalogs, and purchase the item directly at the moment of impulse.

Tilly's Snap Shop will be accessible to customers viewing the company’s fall catalog which is due for circulation early next month.