Tory Burch appoints Joëlle Grunberg as President of North America, focusing on operational excellence over expansion.

I was able to contribute to Quartz’s recent article on the resurgence of 1990s-era retail brands. The piece examines how legacy brands are reemerging in the market and what this says about the broader retail transformation. My contribution focused on how these revivals are less about nostalgia and more about strategic reinvention, repositioning legacy brand equity for today’s consumer context. As I noted in the article, “The recent attention on certain retailers cannot be attributed to a single overarching trend. Instead, it reflects a mix of strategic reinvention and market repositioning.” A few key take-aways that stood out to me: >> It’s not enough to ride a nostalgia wave. Brands must re-engineer their business model (product, experience, channel) to align with modern expectations. >> Physical stores remain relevant when they deliver differentiated value (experience, discovery, fulfilment) rather than simply replicate e-commerce. The article captures that nuance in stating: “It’s not that people are abandoning online shopping, it’s that they’re rediscovering what physical stores can offer when they’re done right.” >> The biggest question is sustainability. Short-term social media hype can drive spikes in traffic or sales. The real challenge lies in converting those into durable customer relationships, not just once, but repeatedly. https://lnkd.in/eASmS_Hc

Why Some Drops Sell and Others Don’t. Every retailer launches new collections. Few make them work. At Bouclair, our latest collaboration with Walmart Canada - two new Bouclair-designed TrendCaps rolling out nationwide is more than a drop. It’s a case study in what makes retail innovation real. Because a great drop isn’t luck. It’s system design. Three things matter most: 1️⃣ Relevance, not noise. Our merchant teams track real-time shifts in home & seasonal trends. Not  what’s trending online, but what actually converts in-store. 2️⃣ Design that sells. A strong collection isn’t just aesthetic. It’s commercially engineered, with every texture, tone, and price point aligned to deliver sell-through, not just shelf appeal. 3️⃣ Execution at scale. Even the best idea fails if execution falls behind. Our Walmart Canada partnership is built on precision: synchronized planning, tight logistics, and collections that are 100% floor-ready and omni-channel. That’s why this program works. It meets consumers where they are, how they shop, and when they want it, in-store and online. For us, the collaboration with Walmart Canada goes far beyond one season. We’re building a framework that will allow us to  refresh faster, move smarter, and scale creativity without friction. And this drop is just the beginning. Anushka Pereira, Alexa Ventrici, Courtney Fernandes, Krista Thomas, Maninder Marba, Mengmeng Jiang, Diane Wallace, Farah Elder    ⇒⇒⇒⇒⇒⇒⇒ 👋 Hi, I’m Peter Goldberg. I built Bouclair from the ground up - a design-led home & lifestyle company now partnering with global retailers like Walmart Canada, Do it Center, and Spotlight Retail Group (SRG) to redefine how home categories move at scale. Our B2B partnerships continue to expand, with active growth across the U.S., the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the MENA region. If you lead merchandising, category management, or retail partnerships  and want to see how we’re building speed, design, and scale into every category - let’s connect.

So, as I do on a Monday morning, I have a look at e-commerce news and something has caught my eye today and it is that John Lewis is quietly repositioning itself, not just as a retailer, but as a platform for premium brands. For me this is a structural shift in how a heritage retailer adapts to operating in a platform-first world. The launch of their new supplier brands platform, powered by Mirakl, marks a clear step toward marketplace-enabled retail. Instead of simply stocking third-party brands, John Lewis is now offering them the infrastructure to sell through its ecosystem, with brands handling fulfilment directly. It’s a lighter, faster, and more scalable model. This isn’t just a trend it’s a strategic evolution we are seeing across the retail landscape. The Mirakl factor: By using Mirakl, John Lewis can plug new suppliers into their online offering without overhauling their core systems. It brings agility where traditional retail has often been rigid enabling: Rapid onboarding of premium brands Expanded assortment without inventory risk A scalable way to test new categories or geographies Many of us have seen first-hand how integrations with Mirakl unlock significant flexibility for retailers and brand partners alike. It turns the retailer into a platform, and that opens up an entirely different growth playbook. 📈 For brands, it’s access to trusted retail environments without needing traditional wholesale deals. 🏬 For retailers, it’s the ability to evolve from product curators to ecosystem builders. In John Lewis’s case, it’s also a smart way to re-assert relevance in premium fashion. If you would like to know more about Mirakl integrations and if you are exploring one yourself, let me know and we can have a chat. Full story here via Retail Gazette: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eUuRKzx5 #Marketplace #RetailInnovation #Mirakl #PlatformStrategy #JohnLewis #Ecommerce #RetailTech #DigitalTransformation

Retail isn’t dead...it’s evolving. And Von Maur is quietly leading the way. While national department stores are downsizing, Von Maur is expanding with 39 stores across 15 states and a $100M remodel underway. Founded in Davenport, this family-owned retailer is proving that thoughtful growth and curated merchandising still win in today’s market. What sets Von Maur apart? • No private labels. No heavy discounting. • Full-store rollouts for new brands (no slow testing!). • A loyal customer base that shops frequently and generationally. • A merchandising team that sources from social buzz, personal experience, and customer feedback. From L.L.Bean and Lulus to AZALEA WANG and Ana Luisa, Von Maur is bringing fresh, relevant brands to under tapped markets and seeing strong ROI while doing it. As Joy Place, VP of Merchandising, puts it: “There’s really no retailer that does what we do.” In a world chasing volume, Von Maur is winning with curation, consistency, and community. A great reminder that regional retail can be a powerful platform for brand growth, especially when done right. #GrownInIowa #IowaRetail #Retail #Merchandise #VonMaur #Innovation #BusinessGrowth #RetailTech https://lnkd.in/g2vc-3nW

Is Simons bringing the department store back to life?   This fall, retailer Simons opened new department stores in two of Canada's busiest malls: Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre and Eaton Centre, bucking the trend of retailers shuttering stores to scale back physical footprints.   And while other retailers figure out their physical store strategy, Simons appears to be making a big bet… spending a reported $75M on the two new stores.   Why is Simons succeeding where so many others have failed? Joseph Smith gives us a strategy snapshot analysing key elements of their approach:   𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: • Top-tier retail locations w/ high density traffic • Middle-high income, style-conscious consumers • Consumers who want quality, fashionable products in an exploratory physical retail experience • Focused product assortment: apparel and home-decor products, no appliances, cosmetics or fragrances commonly found in typical department stores   𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: 1️⃣ Quality sourcing & assortment • Unique assortment of designer brands drives trips + builds brand association with high fashion & latest trends (e.g., Balmain, Tom Ford, Versace, Y-3) • Wide breadth and quality assortment gives customers choice of both style and price point 2️⃣ Private-label penetration • This is potentially the key to Simons success; its ability to produce quality, well-designed private-label products in multiple categories that can compete with higher-priced brands' products • Up to 70% of products in a given category are private-label products placed alongside premium brands, building positive associations & credibility of Simons brands  • Competitive pricing (often lowest priced option) of private-label products in every department makes Simons brands an attractive option for customers, and one that drives high margin for Simons 3️⃣ Strength in digital & ecommerce • Despite the commitment to physical retail, Simons has invested to build a strong ecommerce presence and fulfilment capabilities • Ecommerce enables access to customers outside the range of its physical store footprint • Loyalty program captures customer data in-store & online and helps Simons better segment customers and target with personalized offers   Time will tell whether Simons' proves that physical-first retail is a winning strategy. How do you think they will fare? And what else might help them succeed? Comment your thoughts below ⬇️ #StrategiesThatStick #Retail #LoyaltyStrategy #Ecommerce

Iowa-based Von Maur considers itself an underdog among department stores. But the retailer says it has unique qualities that are attracting hip brands like Dagne Dover, Ana Luisa and Lulus. https://lnkd.in/ekBkjkGZ

Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, issued a note on Thursday on Dillard's’s, giving it a solid thumbs-up for merchandising and execution. He wrote that the results should serve as a primer to other retailers, noting that numbers continue to “demarcate the department store as one of the few in its sector that’s driving growth. Admittedly, 3.3 percent growth in retail revenue isn’t blockbuster, but it is respectable. And as it is accompanied by a rise in margins, an uplift in profitability, and comparable sales gains, it shows that Dillard’s has a good grip on operations and is very well managed.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/ecZhiGgw

With Saks OFF 5TH closing nine stores, this feels like more than a portfolio adjustment, it feels like a moment of reckoning for luxury’s off-price experiment. Now that Saks Global has officially completed its $2.7 billion acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group, the future of this newly combined luxury powerhouse depends on clarity of vision. The merger brought together icons: Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks OFF 5TH, but integration means nothing without execution. The challenge is particularly visible at OFF 5TH. Once positioned as the stylish, value-oriented sibling of Saks Fifth Avenue, it has struggled with identity drift. Product assortments have become weaker, brand curation less meaningful and price perception misaligned with customer expectations. Leadership shifts - like the departure of key executives and reassignments within Saks Global - further cloud what should be a clear merchandising strategy. Off-price retail isn’t forgiving. It demands a disciplined product strategy, tight vendor relationships and a clear understanding of the customer journey. Nordstrom Rack continues to show how it’s done - leveraging data-driven decision-making, precise assortment planning and store growth that connects back to its full-price ecosystem. Rack isn’t just a discount channel; it’s a customer acquisition engine. For Saks and Neiman Marcus, the stakes are higher than ever. The merger promises scale, synergy and luxury market leadership, but if the foundation (the stores, the merchandise, the experience) isn’t strong, consolidation risks becoming contraction. This also raises important questions about the Saks x Amazon partnership, which was groundbreaking in its time. That collaboration gave luxury brands a bridge into digital marketplaces - letting them sell through Amazon’s vast reach while preserving brand control. With the newly merged Saks Global now carrying Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman under its roof, the stability of that partnership becomes even more strategic. Will it evolve, expand or quietly fade amid shifting priorities? Luxury brands remain hesitant to fully embrace marketplaces. The Saks-Amazon model proved it could be done without diluting prestige, but that success depends on organizational strength, consistent vision and the confidence of partner brands. If OFF 5TH continues to falter and focus shifts internally, the industry could see ripple effects far beyond store closures. What’s needed now is merchandising courage - not just cost optimization. True leadership in luxury retail means obsessing over product integrity, customer experience and the emotional connection that makes people fall in love with brands. Because when a brand like Saks loses its focus, it’s not just stores that close, it’s a piece of what made modern luxury aspirational in the first place.

Saks Global is betting big on its Top Seller Program. As I shared with Retail Dive: 🔹 Saks wants to bring in talented stylists with a roster of clients / Rolodex. 🔹 Increasing sales through loyal customers that trust their 'person' no matter what department store (or department) they work in is a great move. 🔹 The challenge for Saks will be having the right inventory so stylists and sellers can meet their sales goals (and Saks' sales forecast). This move isn’t just about sales incentives. It’s about rebuilding the art of clienteling: leveraging relationships, trust, and deep product knowledge to bring loyal customers back into stores. Luxury retail has always been powered by the people behind the product. Saks knows that relationships will drive long-term growth and SALES. #retail #retailnews #fashion #stores #merchandising #TheMerchantLife #TheMaterialLife #RETHINKRetail #TRE #TopRetailExpert #NRFRetailVoice #NRF #SAKS