Dillard's to Up Fashion Quotient

Little Rock, Ark. As part of its turnaround strategy, Dillard’s plans to offer more fashionable merchandise in hopes of positioning itself above Macy's and Belk, and below Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s, according to WWD.com.

The company is “trying to evolve from moderate to better prices and update from traditional, basic product to more enticing fashion assortments,” said William T. Dillard III, VP of accessories, intimate apparel and shoes at Dillard’s.

 Dillard's new stores are also smaller, measuring about 170,000 sq. ft. They are located in open-air lifestyle centers, compared with the retailer’s previous 200,000-sq.-ft. prototype, located in traditional malls.

Dillard's will open nine new stores this year, all in open-air lifestyle centers in smaller markets.