Apparel

Gap Inc. unveiled preliminary results for the second quarter that were not very promising as Banana Republic continues to bleed.   The retailer said revenue and same-store sales slipped for the month of July, and for the second quarter, which ended July 30.   Gap’s net sales for the quarter were $3.85 billion, compared with $3.90 billion for the second quarter last year.  

Aeropostale is negotiating a potential sale to private equity firm Versa Capital Management LLC, Reuters reported. Versa specializes in distressed investments.      In court papers filed at the end of last week,the retailer said it has been in discussions with Versa regarding a possible stalking horse bid at the chain’s bankruptcy auction later this month. The bid by Versa could include a cash payment for Aéropostale’s inventory, and the assumption of more than 500  

Uniqlo is in the final stages of an extensive makeover of its first-ever store in New York City.      Located in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood, the 10-year-old, 36,000-sq.-ft. store is being redone to the theme of "a new Tokyo in Soho." Scheduled to unveil its new look on Sept. 2, the store was the chain’s first global flagship. Hiroshi Taki, Uniqlo U.S.A. CEO, described it as “an important milestone in the company's plans to expand internationally.”  

Gap Inc. unveiled preliminary results for the second quarter that were not very promising as Banana Republic continues to bleed. The retailer said revenue and same-store sales slipped for the month of July, and for the second quarter, which ended July 30. Gap’s net sales for the quarter were $3.85 billion, compared with $3.90 billion for the second quarter last year.

The brand known the world over for its iconic crocodile logo has a new retail strategy.   In a move to enhance its brand in the United States, Lacoste is renovating high-profile locations and opening more impactful, larger-format retail stores in the its key U.S. markets, which include New York, south Florida and southern California.   

VF Corporation announced the promotion of Jim Pisani to the position of global brand president, Timberland, effective immediately.   Pisani most recently served as president of VF’s licensed sports group.  

Instant delivery. Athleisure wear. Rented and used clothing.    These are among the five trends identified by consumer financial services company Synchrony Financial as impacting both the retail and mobile payments space.   Here’s a review of what Synchrony says consumers are especially interested in:  

The Cato Corp. reported sales of $61.2 million for the four weeks ended July 30, down 8% from the same period a year ago.     Same-store sales for the month were down 10% from the prior year.   On a quarterly basis, Cato sales for the second quarter fell 5% to $236.7 million, compared to $249.2 million a year ago. Second quarter same-store sales were down 6% from the prior year.