Leadership

Beauty retailer Sephora has promoted Mary Beth Laughton to executive vice president of U.S. omni retail. Previously, Laughton was senior vice president of digital. “Mary Beth is a visionary and strategist with a deep understanding of how customers are evolving,” said Calvin McDonald, chief executive officer and president of Sephora Americas. “During her time at…

In episode 113 of Total Retail Talks, recorded at Shop.org last month in Los Angeles, DSW's CEO, Roger Rawlins, and CFO, Jared Poff, discuss the footwear retailer's new brand mission, which is focused on building engaging customer experiences, distorting traditional assortment, enabling associate product knowledge, and improving operational execution. Rawlins and Poff provide details on…

The Gymboree Corp. announced that it has successfully completed its financial restructuring and emerged from Chapter 11 as a new corporation under the name Gymboree Group, Inc. The children's apparel retailer exited bankruptcy with a reorganization plan that includes a comprehensive recapitalization that will eliminate more than $900 billion in debt and a reduced store footprint. …

Luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. has named Roger Farah as chairman of its board of directors, the latest management shakeup where outsiders have been brought in to give the iconic company a new vision. Farah was one of three directors that Tiffany agreed to add to its board. The pressure to add new board members…

It may seem to be something of a cliché, but it's nonetheless true: now that communication is driven by social media and technology, many feel they can “say” anything that's on their mind, no matter how politically incorrect (a popular expression these days) the message may be. This is an issue that really touches all…

This article originally appeared in Total Retail's sister publication, Inner Circle, the Women in Retail Leadership Circle's weekly e-newsletter. Here's part one of this two-part interview. We’re excited to share part two of our interview with Cindy DiPietrantonio, president of Alex and Ani, an omnichannel retailer of…

This article originally appeared in Total Retail's sister publication, Inner Circle, the Women in Retail Leadership Circle's weekly e-newsletter. You can see the original article here. We're excited to share part one of a two-part interview with Cindy DiPietrantonio, president of Alex and Ani, an omnichannel retailer of meaningful, eco-conscious jewelry and accessories to positively empower and…

It’s clear that competition in the fashion and apparel business is as brutal as any. Every organization is faced with a changing retail environment, the impact of the internet, pressure on margins, and challenges of becoming efficient in every aspect of the business. It’s not surprising that these businesses are increasingly finding it necessary to…

"The question I ask myself almost every day is, ‘Am I doing the most important thing I could be doing?'"

“The question I ask myself almost every day is, ‘Am I doing the most important thing I could be doing?'”