Even before Hurricane Irene interrupted back-to-school shopping, the nation was cautious about spending for the new semester. A teetering economy is affecting the purchasing choices of 75% of families with school-age children, and 70% say they plan to spend the same or less as last year.
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.
Abercrombie & Fitch has offered to pay Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, a cast member on MTV's "Jersey Shore," money to stop wearing its clothes. But does the brand really hate Sorrentino, or is the move simply a way to score a free affiliation with the star?
In September, EBay plans to open an online outlet store with products from Brooks Brothers, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Spanx and Bluefly. It could help the company grow, but it's also another step away from its madcap auctioneer roots. Is eBay getting boring?
Athleta, a women's sportswear merchant that the Gap bought in 2008, opened its first two East Coast stores in New York this week. At a time when 200 Gap stores are closing, Athleta is sprinting toward its goal of 50 stores by 2013. But can it beat out its fast-growing competitors?
Consumers who don't feel good about their body image are less likely to purchase something they try on if they see an attractive shopper wearing the same thing, according to a study in the August issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.
Madonna and her 14-year-old daughter, Lourdes "Lola" Leon, have designed a juniors line for Macy's called Material Girl. But will the edgy style prove too sexy for teens -- and the parents they're shopping with?
Lands' End has named Edgar Huber, former CEO of Juicy Couture, as its new chief executive. Will he be able to breathe new life into the 48-year-old brand?
July retail sales were solid, with Costco, Macy's, JC Penney, Nordstron and Saks Fifth Avenue all beating expectations. Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, the retail consultancy, says we could be having the best back-to-school selling season since 2006.
As part of a larger push to bring its classic American design aesthetic to international markets -- and build on its recent Italian successes -- Gap will debut a flagship store in Rome on Via del Corso, a key shopping area, on Saturday.
Firecracker remnants may still dot the nation's sidewalks, but retail forecasters are already talking about back-to-school shopping season -- and they're happy to do so. The improved economic environment is setting the stage for sales gains in everything from tablet computers to bold-colored jeans.
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.
Summer is here, which means for many of us, it's time for a new swimsuit. But as they hunt for a suit that truly suits, many women have to wonder: How is it that two-pieces can be so expensive when they're so tiny? DailyFinance's Loren Berlin dove into the clothing biz and came up with the answers.
