Apparel

Comps fall for Bebe Stores in Q2
Traffic and conversion troubles led to a same store sales decrease for fashion retailer Bebe in the second quarter.

For the period ended Jan. 2, net sales decreased 5% to $122.4 million, as compared to $128.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2015. The net sales decrease was primarily driven by a comp decrease and store closures. Same store sales decreased 2.5% compared to an increase of 8% in the same period of the prior year. Traffic and conversion declined while average unit retail was flat.
H&M goes omnichannel with Coachella collection
Just in time for Coachella, H&M is teaming up once again with the world-famous California festival by creating a co-branded coed collection.

The H&M Loves Coachella collection will launch in the U.S. in stores on March 24 with a sneak peek online on March 23. The Coachella festival is held yearly in Southern California in April.

Schimenti constructs Kohl’s showroom

Schimenti Construction has created a new space for Kohl’s Corp. to show off its latest collections.

The 4,000-sq.-ft. showroom, at 1400 Broadway in the garment district of Manhattan, acts as a striking backdrop to the retailer’s latest fashions, with large windows, bright spotlights and a gleaming white epoxy floor. The new space is in the same building that houses Kohl’s design offices. The retailer now occupies 100,000 sq. ft. on four floors.
Former CEO of Children’s Place back with new concept

Ezra Dabah is launching a curated box service for girls ages 3 to 12. Called Kidpik, the new concept will charge customers only for the items they decide to keep after the alloted trial period, Crain’s New York reported. [Crain’s New York]
Barneys New York in spectacular homecoming

Barneys New York has opened flagship in downtown Manhattan on the same block that the upscale retailer was founded on in 1923 and maintained a presence through the late 1990's.
Off-pricer to make Canadian debut

Nordstrom continues to expand north of the border.

The retailer announced that its Nordstrom Rack off-price division will open its first Canadian location, in Toronto, in 2018.

The 38,600-sq.-ft. store will be located at One Bloor in Yorkville, on the southeast corner of Yonge Street and Bloor Street, a well-known shopping district in Toronto. It will be approximately one mile north of the Nordstrom full-line store, which is scheduled to open in September 2016 at CF Eaton Centre.
Bebe reports Q2 loss as comps fall

Traffic and conversion troubles led to a disappointing performance by fashion retailer Bebe Stores in the second quarter. For the period ended Jan. 2, the company reported a loss of $5.5 million.
Use Visual Merchandising Online to Ring Up Profits

Fashion and department stores, perhaps more than other retail segments, understand the benefits of visual merchandising. Consumers may set out to shop for a specific item, but seeing “that item” curated as part of an outfit with related garments and accessories is a surefire way to upsell complementary apparel.
Jos. A Bank turns in troubling Q4 performance for Tailored Brands

Tailored Brands, formerly Men’s Wearhouse, vowed more changes after its Jos. A Bank division logged a 31.9% decline in same-store sales.
And the nation’s favorite fashion retailer is …

For the fourth consecutive year, a department store has nabbed the top spot in a survey of the nation’s favorite fashion retailers.

Nordstrom took the top spot in the study, by Market Force Information. Interestingly, severak discount retailers moved up the list this year, with Marshalls landing in the No. 2 spot. H&M and Ross Dress for Less tied for third, Kohl’s was fourth and Macy’s was fifth.
First Look: Victoria’s Secret, Las Vegas

Victoria’s Secret has gone big with a remodel in Las Vegas.

Located at Miracle Mile Shops in Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, the expanded and remodeled store is almost triple its original size, and now totals over 20,000 sq. ft. It’s the chain’s largest space to date in Las Vegas.

In addition to Victoria’s Secret’s complete collections, the flagship features a dedicated space for the company’s Pink brand.
Victoria’s Secret CEO resigns; Wexner steps in

L Brands chairman and CEO Leslie Wexner is assuming leadership of the company’s biggest division, Victoria’s Secret, after the retailer announced that CEO Sharen Jester Turney had resigned. Her sudden and unexpected departure follows a tremendous growth run for the brand.

Turney spent 16 years with Victoria’s Secret, joining the brand in 2000 as president and CEO of Victoria’s Secret Direct. She became CEO of brand in 2006. She will continue to serve as an advisor to the business, according to an L Brands statement.