Apparel

WHITE PLAINS — Burlington Coat Factory is joining the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night campaign for the 12th consecutive year. The retailer will be collecting donations at checkout to help support blood cancer research. 

Burlington Coat Factory also plans to enlist its more than 28,000 employees nationwide to participate in Light the Night walks across the country to commemorate lives touched by cancer and raise funds to help fight blood cancers.

The Limited helped changed the way women shop for apparel 50 years ago and this month it is commemorating the occasion with digitally inspired promotions the company’s founders could never have imagined.

BALTIMORE — Under Armour is going back to its roots — grassroots football, that is — in its latest global marketing campaign. Things kick off with a 60-second spot called, "Ready for August," which will serve as the centerpiece of phase two of the I Will campaign.

The commercial will be broadcast July 15 on Fox during the 2013 MLB All-Star Game Home Run Derby, and is viewable on YouTube now.

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation's president and CEO Matthew Shay and chief economist Jack Kleinhenz have issued a statement concerning June's employment numbers, released by the Department of Labor.

Vancouver, B.C. -- A lawsuit has been filed against Lululemon Athletica, accusing it of defrauding shareholders by hiding defects in yoga pants whose sheerness led to a costly product recall, and concealing talks that led to the sudden departure of its chief executive, Christine Day.  

Meriden, Conn. – Vestis Retail Group, parent company of Bob’s Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), has named James Petty as CEO effective July 8, 2013. Petty most recently served as president of retail stores for Cartier Inc. from 2007 to December 2012 and left the company after it relocated its retail group headquarters from Connecticut to Georgia. He also previously held executive positions at Limited Too and Gap Inc.

Warrendale, Pa. -- Rue21 Inc. said Wednesday that the “go-shop” period that would have allowed it to be sold to an alternate buyer has expired, edging the specialty apparel and accessories chain closer to a deal with Apax Partners.
 
In May, Rue21 reached a deal to sell itself to Apax for nearly $1 billion; terms allowed the retailer to shop competing bids until July 2. Although 60 potential buyers were contacted, none submitted a competing bid to acquire the company.
 

Chattanooga, Tenn. -- CBL & Associates Properties has announced the acquisition of two Sears locations, one at CBL’s Fayette Mall in Lexington, Ky., and the other at CoolSprings Galleria in Nashville. Sears will continue to operate in both locations until closing dates have been finalized.

“We have plans to redevelop and expand both buildings to create space for new high-end specialty stores and restaurants,” said Stephen Lebovitz, CBL’s president and CEO.
 

James Petty has joined private equity owned Vestis Retail Group as CEO, effective July 8, to drive new growth opportunities.

Petty joins Vestis, parent company of Bob’s Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports, after serving since 2007 as president of retail stores for Carter’s Inc. Petty left Carter’s last December after a restructuring resulted in Carter’s relocating its retail group to its Atlanta headquarters from Connectticut. Prior to Carter’s, Petty held senior roles at Limited Too and Gap, Inc.

CORTE MADERA, Calif. — Restoration Hardware is a company one tends to associate with high-end home furnishings, but the company is expanding into new territory. RH recently launched Hierarchy — an apparel, accessories and footwear brand — and has edited its executive leadership team as a result.