Apparel

Puyallup, Wash. -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co. said that Torrid, Aveda, Burger Bliss and Mr. Jalapeno will open at South Hill Mall – in Puyallup, Wash. – between now and October 2012.

Torrid will open on Aug. 8 in a 2,600-sq.-ft. space, Aveda will open in 875 sq. ft. in October, and Burger Bliss and Mr. Jalapeno will open in the mall’s Food Court.

The 1 million-sq.-ft. mall is anchored by Target, Macy’s, J.C. Penney, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sears and Regal Cinemas.
 

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — Shortly after announcing the firing of its CEO, Wet Seal said it was looking into the possible sale of the company to the Clinton Group.

Wet Seal received a letter from the Clinton Group on July 23 and issued the following response:

NEW YORK — Iconix Brand Group reported that total revenue for the second quarter of 2012 was approximately $93.6 million, a 5% increase as compared with approximately $89.3 million in the second quarter of 2011.

PLANO, Texas — JCPenney is boosting its store-in-store offerings by adding 700 Joe Fresh in-store boutiques to its department stores in April 2013.

Joe Fresh, which is a Canadaian fast-fashion brand, will also be featured on JCP.com.

NEW YORK — Actress Kate Hudson will serve as the face of Ann Taylor for the third consecutive season.

"We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with Kate – someone who leads a full life and who captures the spirit of the Ann Taylor woman. She truly represents our continued commitment to celebrating women of substance and style," said Brian Lynch, brand president of the Ann Taylor division of Ann Inc.

Fashion retailer The Limited just got smarter about its purchasing and pricing decisions.

First Insight, a provider of predictive analytics, announced that it had reached an agreement with The Limited to provide predictive analytics for selecting and pricing new products. The company did not elaborate further on the extent of its relationship with The Limited.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Once again, consumers are putting off back-to-school shopping until the last minute, but retailers can take solace in the fact that they intend to spend more this year.

According to NPD's survey, 31% of respondents said they plan to spend more this year, compared with 22% who made that claim in 2011. The number of consumers who plan to spend less went from 38% in 2011 to 24% this year, while those who plan to spend the same rose from 40% to 46%.

LOS ANGELES — Sears is targeting young women with a new career-focused apparel line called Metaphor. The apparel collection, which is scheduled to hit stores in August, will include jackets, trousers, shirts and dresses at reasonable price points, according to the company. The line will be complemented by fashion footwear and jewelry.