apparel

Lululemon CEO Christine Day is Stepping Down

Lululemon CEO Christine Day will be stepping down after a tenure marked by both solid growth and "see-through yoga pants" scandal.

J.C. Penney is Done Apologizing; Now, It Wants to Thank You

Just weeks after launching an ad campaign apologizing for alienating its customers, J.C. Penney has stopped running its big apology commercial and pulled it from the Internet.

Claire's Stores: All Dressed Up and Ready to IPO

Claire's Stores, beloved by tween mall shoppers everywhere, has filed an IPO with the goal of raising $100 million for the seller of costume jewelry and accessories.

Why J.C. Penney is Really Losing Customers (It's Not the Coupons)

While J.C. Penney's disastrous decline has been blamed on Ron Johnson no-coupons pricing strategy, our readers gave a different reason for ditching the retailer.

Market Minute: Nordstrom 4th-Quarter Net Income Rises

Luxury spending has rebounded since 2009, but Nordstrom is grappling with new demands from shoppers armed with smartphones and tablets. That's pushing the department store, considered the gold standard in customer service, to redefine the term for a new era.

Don't Wait Until Super Saturday: This Weekend's Best Deals

Next weekend brings Super Saturday -- the last Saturday before Christmas, and one of the busiest shopping days of the year. If you don't want to get stuck in the mob scene, you should finish your shopping sooner -- like now. To help, we've rounded up some of the best deals on offer this weekend.

Women Are Fleeing Coupon-Free J.C. Penney, New Poll Reveals

J.C. Penney lost more than 1.3 million of its loyal female fans in the last year, a new survey reveals, and the experts say its "fair and square" pricing strategy is probably to blame.

June's Weak Retail Sales Darken Outlook for Back-to-School

June's tepid retail sales numbers are already casting a pall over the industry's outlook for autumn -- and they may bode ill for the winter, too.

The 10 Fastest Dying Industries in America

The rise of cheap imports, technological advancements and the financial crisis have collectively delivered harsh blows to many U.S. industries. IBISWorld is out with a list of 10 American industries that have been hardest hit.

Surf and Turf Retailer Pacific Sunwear Wipes Out - Again

Teens can be fickle, and Pacific Sunwear of California knows that all too well. The retailer, which specializes in surf and skate apparel, saw its shares wipe out on Wednesday after it posted disappointing quarterly results. Is the sun setting on the chain?

Macy's to Martha: JC Penney Deal Is Not a Good Thing

Martha Stewart has a new legal problem to contend with: Macy's, which had an exclusive licensing deal with her namesake company, has filed a lawsuit against Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for hooking up with J.C. Penney.

7 Shopping Dos and Don'ts for September

If August is all about scoring deals on backpacks and other back-to-school items, then what should you buy in September? The editors at DealNews took a look at historical data and came up with the best and worst things to buy this month.

Gap's Global Push Brings Retailer to Vietnam, Guam

Building on its ongoing mission to grab a bigger share of the $1.4 trillion global apparel market, Gap will open its first stores in Vietnam and Guam through its franchise channel in the next few months.

Refashioning Gap: CEO Sees Future in Outlets, Online

Gap (GPS) might be undergoing an extreme makeover, but the chain is no longer the key growth engine, CEO Glenn Murphy told investors Wednesday. Learn why the apparel giant is shifting its emphasis to its outlet businesses, newer divisions such as Piperlime and Athleta, and overseas growth.

Q&A: How Alyssa Milano Scores Big with Sports-Fan Clothing

Charmed actress Alyssa Milano can often be found in the stands, cheering on Los Angeles's Dodgers, Lakers and Kings. And in a down economy, she's racked up some key wins for Touch, her line of women's sports apparel. She recently discussed the business with DailyFinance.

Retailers Cut Corners to Avoid Apparel Price Hikes

Expect your T-shirts to get a little bit thinner next year -- and maybe a little more expensive. Apparel retailers are looking high and low for ways to keep from passing on too much of their own rising costs to consumers. The trick: Doing so without hurting quality.

Gap's Fiscal 3Q Profit Falls 1.3% on Declining Old Navy Sales

Gap's (GPS) fiscal third-quarter profit fell 1.3% as negative same-store sales for the clothing retailer's Old Navy chain offset gains overseas. Shares fell in extended trading after the company failed to beat Wall Street earnings forecasts.

Up or Down: 5 Retailing Leaders -- and 5 Laggards

Some merchants adjusted quickly to the "new normal" of penny-pinching shoppers, but others are still struggling with shrinking consumer budgets or headwinds they were fighting before the bottom fell out. Here's a look at the two groups that are going in two different directions.

Getting Smarter, Retailers Beat Expectations

Despite heat waves, penny-pinching parents and a weak job market, most retailers posted solid sales in August. They benefited from better inventory control -- giving local stores more say in merchandising -- and well-timed promotions.

August Retail Sales: Expect a Mixed Bag

Despite the searing weather and a lukewarm economic recovery, major merchants are expected to report growing retail sales in their August tallies on Thursday. But don't count on the kind of increases we saw at the beginning of the year.

Cotton Prices Approach 15-Year High

Cotton prices are nearing 15-year highs. Last week the price per bale for December delivery hit $85 -- up from $75 last month. High prices are good news for farmers, but it may mean consumers will pay more for T-shirts and jeans.

Retail Sales Suffer in the Intense July Heat

The weather was hot in July, but consumers went cold, leading to disappointing retail sales that came in below or at the low end of most forecasts. The high temperatures may have been one culprit, helping boost sales of marked-down summer clearance items.

Polo Ralph Lauren Shares Could Soon Be Riding Higher

The recession hardly made a dent in Polo Ralph Lauren's upward sales progress, so it should have tremendous leverage in advancing in the economic recovery that's increasingly gaining traction. The shares hit a 52-week high on April 14.

Calvin Klein Is Making Warnaco Look Sharp

Despite worries about the economic slowdown and tepid consumer spending, shares of Warnaco, a global designer, maker and marketer of apparel, are on a tear. What's behind the stock's big surge? The continued strength of its widely popular Calvin Klein line.