Apparel

ROCKFORD, Mich. — Wolverine Worldwide reported record revenue and strong earnings performance for its second fiscal quarter ended June 15. The quarter included a full 12-week contribution from the company's recenty acquired Sperry Top-Sider, Saucony, Stride Rite and Keds brands. 

Women’s apparel brand and retailer Lilly Pulitzer is turning to supply chain commerce solution provider Manhattan Associates to revamp its omnichannel retail capabilities so it can address its growing brick-and-mortar and e-commerce businesses. 

SAN FRANCISCO — Banana Republic has been named the formal attire supplier for Oracle Team USA as it defends its title at the 34th America's Cup in San Francisco Bay in Sept.

Schenectady, N.Y. -- Price Chopper Supermarkets said it has named Karlin Bohnert as senior VP of information systems/CIO.

Bohnert most recently served as CIO of RGIS in Auburn Hills, Mich. She joins Price Chopper with more 30 years of strategic IT experience gained at such companies as Walmart, Home Depot, ANF, The Limited and MCI.

Toronto -- A "Sears Hometown" store owner in Woodstock, Ontario (Canada), has launched a class action lawsuit on behalf of approximately 260 Sears Hometown dealers across Canada against Sears Canada and its American affiliate, Sears. Both are subsidiaries of Sears Holding Corp.

The lawsuit alleges that Sears lowered dealers' commissions, reduced advertising for local stores and bypassed the franchises by selling directly to customers who are located within their markets.

New York -- Jones Group Inc. has tapped Citigroup Inc. to explore a possible sale, according to Reuters.
 
In April, Jones Group said that it would close 170 stores and cut 8% of its workforce after first-quarter profit was less than analysts’ estimates. The news comes just months after activist hedge fund

The company, whose brands include Stuart Weitzman, Jones New York, Easy Spirit, and Nine West, had a market value of about $1.2 billion as of July 5.

Sydney, Australia -- Island Pacific has announced the deployment of its point-of-sale technology in Topshop’s Sydney and Melbourne stores.

Island Pacific’s software solutions are being used by the British fashion retailer to standardize its IT solutions. As a new business venture in Australia, Topshop wanted the day-to-day business of its retail divisions to be streamlined with receipting, sales and reporting functionality.

Washington -- The retail industry added 28,000 jobs in June, according to the National Retail Federation. NRF said the industry had marked increases in every sector except furniture and home furnishings and health and personal care stores.


Las Vegas -- Apparel retailer Bettie Page, which specializes in contemporary designs inspired by the 1940's and 50's, has made its Nashville debut. It is the company’s 15th location to date.

"Our newest Bettie Page boutique is situated in the heart of Nashville," said Jan Glaser, co-CEO, Tatyana Designs, parent company of Bettie Page.

One unique feature of the Nashville store is that the company has leased the entire 14,000-sq.-ft. building.

New York -- Australian swimwear brand Seafolly will open its first U.S. freestanding store in October, Women’s Wear Daily reported.

The company will open a 1,800-sq.-ft. location in Fashion Island mall, in Newport Beach, Calif. Seafolly has been selling its goods at select stores in the United States for about five years. It also does an exclusive line for Nordstrom, the report said.