Apparel

Former BN exec named CEO at Kellwood
Leading apparel manufacturer Kellwood has named ex-Barnes & Noble chief financial officer Joseph Lombardi as CEO.

Lombardi joined Kellwood as CFO in 2013, and has three decades of retail experience across a variety of sectors, including apparel.
Bare Necessities taps Experian Marketing Services to optimize omnichannel customer interactions
New York - Online specialty apparel retailer Bare Necessities is using the Experian Marketing Suite to plan, manage, execute and optimize all of its customer interactions in real time across any channel, all from within a single system. The Experian platform integrates customer data from any source and channel into an always-fresh central repository or more effective targeting, triggering and personalization of marketing campaigns.

Retailers aren’t giving consumers what they want

Retailers already knew they had work to do to better meet online shoppers’ expectations, just maybe not as much as revealed by new research from IBM.
Survey: Consumers talk the talk about online, but don't always walk the walk

New York -- It appears there is a disconnect between consumer attitudes and behaviors with regards to their digital interactions. In a survey by IBM, 43% of consumers said they prefer to shop online, but only 29% actually made their last purchase online. In some product categories such as youth apparel or home décor, there is a nearly 20-point gap between the percentage of people that say they enjoy shopping online and the percentage of people who actually made their last purchase online in those categories.
Neiman Marcus testing ‘smart’ mirror; allows shoppers to compare outfits

New York -- Neiman Marcus is testing interactive mirror technology at its store in Walnut Creek, Calif., that enables shoppers to see how they look in different outfits at the same time. The luxury retailer is set to pilot the technology in two additional locations, including its store in San Francisco.
Report: Etsy planning IPO

New York -- Etsy, an online marketplace site that specializes in crafts and artsy items, plans to hold an initial public offering this quarter, according to Bloomberg.

The Brooklyn-based company, which is working with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, looks to raise about $300 million, the report said.
Nordstrom Rack announces two new store locations

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced plans to open a Nordstrom Rack, at Chapel Hills East in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and one at Destiny USA mall in Syracuse, New York.

The 33,357-sq.-ft. Destiny Mall location is scheduled to open in fall 2015. The retailer recently announced new Rack stores opening in Buffalo and Albany, also in fall 2015.

The 31,203-sq.-ft. Chapel Hills East Nordstrom is scheduled to open in spring 2016. The property is owned and managed by DDR Corp.
Mothercare creates better fulfillment with Manhattan Associates

London - Mothercare plc intends to create faster and more convenient omnichannel fulfillment options to its customers using supply chain commerce solutions from Manhattan Associates. The Manhattan solutions will enable Mothercare to make store stock available for online sales and support more efficient customer processes to speed up delivery options through express click and collect services and ship from store.
Orchard Brands goes global with Borderfree

Beverly, Mass. - Orchard Brands, a multichannel retailer of apparel and home products focused on consumers older than 50, has partnered with Borderfree for global e-commerce. Through its partnership with Borderfree, Orchard Brands’ 13 unique online storefronts are now available to international shoppers in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide.
Neiman Marcus debuts a 'smart mirror'

The digital innovations keep coming at Nieman Marcus, where the luxury retailer has introduce a new concept called the MemoryMirror.
Retail Rap: The Brandscape Ahead

While there were some reported ups and downs over the course of last year’s holiday shopping season, the early takeaway is that the season was, in the end, positive. While we’ll have to wait for hard numbers for more detailed insight, and while definitive conclusions might be a bit much to draw at this point, it does seem to me like the increased length of the ever-expanding holiday shopping season didn’t have any appreciable negative impact.
Aerosoles to create integrated online storefront, mobile, call center

New York -- Footwear retailer and manufacturer Aerosoles has teamed with Digital Management Inc. to enhance its website and deploy an advanced, feature-rich, secure e-commerce website with Responsive Web Design for mobile optimization.

The mobile-optimized e-commerce website and call center are fully integrated with the DMI Order Management System, which synchs with store and warehouse locations for fulfillment.