Direct To Consumer (DTC)

Beatrice Lafon was named CEO at specialty retailer Claire’s Stores following the release of fourth quarter results and a steep slide in same store sales.

Atlanta -- Boutique accessories and jewelry designer Kendra Scott will add two new Atlanta-area stores – one in Buckhead at The Shops Around Lenox, and the other in Alpharetta, at the Avalon Center.

The Shops Around Lenox store opens April 26, and will feature an interactive Kendra Scott Color Bar, where customers can design and personalize one-of-a-kind jewelry.

The Avalon Center store in Alpharetta is slated to open fall 2014.

New York – Faith Hope Consolo, chairman, and Joseph Aquino, executive VP of Douglas Elliman's Retail Group are bringing Philadelphia-based, international Society jeweler, Paul Morelli, to 895 Madison Avenue, at the intersection of 72nd Street.

The jeweler has been a presence at Bergdorf Goodman since 1981. The multi-level first New York store will offer 40 feet of double frontage and face two Ralph Lauren mansions.

Fort Worth, Texas – Tony Risch, executive VP of RadioShack Corp., has resigned to pursue other unspecified interests. The resignation is effective April 18, and his duties will be temporarily taken over by other executives.

Risch joined the company in December 2012. RadioShack is currently in the process of closing 1,000 stores. He previously spent 19 years at Target Corp. No timetable has been given to hire a permanent replacement.

New York -- E-commerce company Birchbox, provide subscribers with monthly boxes of personalized beauty products for a monthly fee, announced Monday that it has raised $60 million of Series B funding from a group led by Greenwich, Conn.-based Viking Global Investors, Crain’s New York reported.

Birchbox, which is set to open its first physical store this spring, now has more than 800,000 subscribers receiving 6,500 different products from 800 brand partners.

New York – Online wedding registry Zola is launching an iPhone app, which will allow couples to create and manage their Zola registry from anywhere. With the Zola app, couples will be able to create and edit their registries while on the go, scan any product onto their registry using the barcode scanner, and use app-exclusive features like Blender, which allows them to browse the entire Zola selection, one at a time, swiping right to add to their registry or left to pass.

Most U.S. retailers make their first international foray in contiguous markets such as Canada or Mexico for obvious reasons. However, for those interested in massive growth potential who have a long term perspective a more exotic market beckons.

Foot Locker has named Sheilagh M. Clarke as SVP, general counsel and secretary, effective June 1. She succeeds Gary M. Bahler, who is retiring on that date.

Clarke is currently VP, associate general counsel and assistant secretary of Foot Locker. She joined Foot Locker in 1988, and since that time has held a number of positions in the company's legal department. She is a graduate of Monmouth University and Seton Hall Law School.

Bahler, who joined the company in 1980, has been a SVP since 1998, general counsel since 1993, and secretary since 1990.