Apparel

SUFFERN, N.Y. — Ascena Retail Group has named Dirk Montgomery as its new EVP and CFO.

Current EVP and CFO Armand Correia is retiring after 21 years with the specialty retailer, which offers clothing, shoes and accessories for missy and plus-size women and tween girls, under the Justice, Lane Bryant, Maurices, Dressbarn and Catherines brands.

New York -- Canadian yoga apparel retailer lululemon athletica will open a four-month pop-up location on Third Ave., between 66th and 67th Streets in Manhattan, according to Douglas Elliman's Retail Group.
 
The former site of a Uniqlo pop-up shop, the space is on a block-front shared by Thierry Rabotin, Bare Escentuals, Caché, Canyon Beachwear and Arden B.

The retailer’s flagship, located across the street from the pop-up site, is currently being renovated, and the temporary location will ensure a continued presence.

Redwood Shores, Calif. -- American Apparel, which launched a new Oracle e-commerce platform in the fall, has continued to deliver an increase in e-commerce sales, with a more than 38% increase over the same period last year. December 2012 sales increased more than 59% over December 2011, with December coming in as the highest sales month in the history of the company’s online business.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Children’s clothing brand retailer Gymboree has launched a new iPad app, powered by Revel Touch Merchandising Suite, to create a touch-optimized shopping experience that introduces consumers to new ways to explore and purchase the brand's clothing and accessories.

With all of the pre-holiday buzz and widely optimistic sales projections, anything other than a blockbuster 2012 holiday shopping season was bound to be a letdown. Few expected the numbers that came out just before Christmas: Both MasterCard and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) reported that sales for the holiday season at that point were up just 0.7%. This was far below the robust predictions that many analysts and observers made before the shopping season was underway (most often between 3%-6%).

Just when things seem to be looking up for Sears Holdings, chairman Edward Lampert will assume the additional responsibilities of CEO following the revelation that current chief executive Lou D’Ambrosio will leave the company for family medical reasons.

News of D’Amrosio’s departure comes as the Sears Holdings preannounced improved profitability for the fist nine weeks of the fourth quarter and fiscal year ending February 2, D’Amrosio’s last day.

Austin, Texas -- After a successful pilot during the 2012 holiday season, Starmount announced Tuesday that Perry Ellis International complete a chainwide rollout of Starmount mobile selling solutions in the first quarter.

San Francisco -- Gymboree Corp. announced Tuesday that it has appointed Mark Breitbard as CEO, effective Jan. 14. Breitbard joins Gymboree from Gap Inc., where he was president of Gap North America.

He also has served as EVP of GapKids and babyGap.

Breitbard succeeds interim CEO Kip M. Garcia, who will resume his former duties as president. Garcia stepped in when former CEO Matthew McCauley resigned last September.

Interim COO Yvonne Hao will return to her role as an operating partner at Bain Capital.