Apparel

A cloud computing/e-commerce giant heads up Fast Company’s annual ranking of the 10 most innovative companies in retail.   Amazon not only topped the retail sector category, it also came in number one in the overall World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies listing. (Rounding out the top five: Google, Uber, Apple and Snap.)      

DSW is expanding its e-commerce capabilities with a deal to acquire Ebuys Inc., an online off-price footwear retailer with a presence in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

DSW announced that the purchase price includes an upfront payment of $62.5 million as well as future payments contingent on the performance of Ebuys, Inc. The deal is expected to close within the next 30 days.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores has added some human resources heft to its executive ranks.

Tailored Brands, formerly Men’s Wearhouse, vowed more changes after its Jos. A Bank division logged a 31.9% decline in same store sales.

Tailored Brands, formerly Men’s Wearhouse, vowed more changes after its Jos. A Bank division logged a 31.9% decline in same-store sales.

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.

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.

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.