Apparel

Kohl’s Corp. posted mixed results for its first quarter, as sales continued to decline but profit jumped amid expense control and more careful inventory management.    The retailer reported net income of $66 million, or 39 cents per share, in the quarter ended April 29, up from $17 million, or nine cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. The gain, much better than expected, came as the company cut general expenses by $33 million.   

When shoppers talk about brands, they usually do it offline.   That’s according to a study by Engagement Labs that measured the performance of 60 brands with respect to social media and word of mouth conversations. Amazon came out on top in the retail and apparel category, followed by Nike and Nordstrom.   

Canadian outwear brand Canada Goose is continuing its expansion, both offline and online.      The company will open two flagship stores this fall, in London and Chicago. It also plans to expand its e-commerce channel to seven new markets including Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria.   

Shoppers at Saks Fifth Avenue’s Manhattan flagship can now take a fitness class taught by ex-cons in addition to shopping for the latest fashions. They can even learn how to meditate.   The luxury department store has transformed its second floor into a health and fitness hub dubbed The Wellery. The 16,000-plus-sq.-ft. space is comprised of 20 individual spaces offering everything from fitness classes and exercise equipment to athleisure apparel and specialized beauty treatments. It will be open through October 2017.

Canada’s Aritzia Inc. is expanding its Chicago footprint as it targets both brick-and-mortar and online expansion.    The fashion retailer will open a flagship on Rush Street in Chicago this fall. The Vancouver, British Columbia-based company already operates a store in the Windy City, at Water Tower Place.    

Dick’s Sporting Goods has made several changes in its executive team, including naming a former Target executive as its chief merchant.   The company said that André Hawaux is retiring as executive VP, COO. He will remain with Dick’s through the second quarter of 2017. Dick’s did not name a replacement for Hawaux.   

Nordstrom beat the Street on earnings in its first quarter amid strong sales in its off-price division.     Nordstrom said it earned $63 million in the first quarter, compared with $46 million, in the year-ago period. The company earned an adjusted $0.43 a share, beating the $0.27 that analysts were expecting.   Total company net sales increased 2.7% to $3.3 billion. Same-store sales fell 0.8%, worse than expected.  Online sales accounted for 24% of total net sales.  

CEO Joe Coradino and PREIT are serious about recapturing vacant department store space and refilling it with new customer experiences.   Just weeks after the opening of a Legoland Discovery Center at its Plymouth Meeting Mall in the Philadelphia suburbs, PREIT announced it had executed a lease at that property with 5 Wits, a live-action entertainment concept that immerses people into one of three adventures: Tomb, Deep Space, or Drago’s Castle.  

Amazon leads the way in the retail industry when it comes to creating an emotional bond with customers, but the industry as a whole lags behind two other categories.    That’s according to MBLM’s Brand Intimacy 2017 Report, in which Amazon placed first in the retail category. followed by Whole Foods Market and Target Corp. The remaining brands in the top 10 for the retail industry are: H&M, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Sephora, Ikea, The Home Depot and eBay.  

Fast-fashion e-retailer shines in store debut

British online fast-fashion retailer Missguided makes the leap to physical retail with a high-concept, high-impact store that brings its website to life.