Lane Bryant Launches In-Store Styling Service

Lane Bryant has launched LaneStyle Studio, a free in-store personal styling service. The service is designed to create an elevated retail experience that will drive consumers in-store. Customers can make one-on-one appointments with in-store stylists who act like personal shoppers. The service will be available in over 40 Lane Bryant stores across the country. Lane Bryant operates over 750 stores nationwide, catering to plus-size women's fashion and career looks in sizes 14-28.

Total Retail's Take: The demise of traditional brick-and-mortar retail has been well-documented, with the oft-cited reasons being the growth of online shopping, and consequently less in-store traffic. Painfully aware of this trend, store-based brands, including Lane Bryant, are being forced to get creative in order to get shoppers back into their stores. Increasingly, they're doing so with stepped up personal services, a component often missing from the online shopping experience. The physical storefront must be more than just a transaction channel; it has to be a place for experiences. Lane Bryant has a target demographic — plus-size women — and its success hinges on the retailer delivering the types of products and experiences, both online and in-store, that these women are looking for. A styling service that intends to "unlock her style potential" is one step in Lane Bryant's plan for winning back in-store customers.