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It’s been months since Zappos.com experienced a massive data breach and the retail industry received a lesson in the speed of information. Within minutes of the breach notification to 24 million customers, the industry was scrutinizing Zappos’ response to the incident. Within days, a class-action lawsuit was filed. The "lesson learned" for retailers couldn't have been articulated more clearly: You may be next. Have a plan. Data breaches will happen, and major retailers have a target on their backs. However, a level of desensitization is occurring in IT as it relates to information and network security.

(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- rue21, inc. (the "Company") , a leading specialty apparel retailer, today announced that Harlan M. Kent has been appointed to join the Company's Board of Directors and will serve on its Compensation Committee. Mr. Kent, age 49, is the current President and Chief Executive Officer of Yankee Candle Company, the leading designer, manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of premium scented candles in the United States. Mr. Kent has over 25 years experience in consumer products and retail strategy, marketing and brand development. The appointment of Mr. Kent increases the number of Board members to eight and the

High-end outdoor clothier and gear maker Patagonia is out to prove that a company can generate strong sales while being nearly fanatical about environmental concerns. The Ventura, Calif., company was the first major clothier to make fleece jackets out of recycled bottles. Nearly a third of the power for its headquarters and adjoining child-care center comes from solar. And it donates 1 percent of its sales to environmental causes. With Patagonia being a privately held company, its finances aren't public, but it says it's riding a growth curve. 

Neiman Marcus is rebranding its contemporary departments within each of the 42 Neiman Marcus stores as Cusp shop-in-shops. Neiman Marcus first launched the Cusp brand in 2006 with two freestanding stores that offered consumers a contemporary assortment including apparel, shoes, handbags and accessories in a boutique environment. The brand has grown over time and now includes a total of six Cusp stores and Cusp.com. 

Toys"R"Us has added QR codes in-store to promote more than 20 of its larger outdoor play products and to give consumers information on items that are too large to stock in stores. This past holiday season, the toy retailer first experimented with QR codes in its The Great Big Toys"R"Us Book holiday catalog. Last year, Toys"R"Us also featured a virtual store that let consumers scan QR codes featured on billboards across the country to virtually shop the retailer's "Hot Toy List." 

DSW looked forward to carrying the momentum of 2011 into 2012. Continuing its success, net sales for the quarter ending April 28, 2012 increased 10.9% to $558.6 million. The retailer continues to accelerate its growth through expansion of its store base, IT investments, growth of the loyalty program and record online sales. The DSW store base has grown by 10%, while sales productivity has grown more than 28%. Capital expenditures for the first quarter were $24 million, with $18 million allotted to new and remodeled stores and $6 million for information technology and business infrastructure. The DSW rewards database

German athleticwear company adidas Group has opened its first-ever Adidas by Stella McCartney standalone store in London, according to www.wwd.com. The 800-sq.-ft., two-floor store houses the Adidas by Stella McCartney activewear line, the Stella Gold collection, as well as a duplicate collection of the kit that McCartney created for the British teams competing at the 2012 London Olympics. The store, designed in collaboration with U.K.-based APA Architects, features materials such as timber, concrete, brass rails and glass shelving. SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS DDI's RetailDesignDiva blog is dedicated to retail design issues, opinions

From June to September, there will be an estimated 1.2 million weddings in the U.S. And if you’re like me, you have two or three wedding invitations stuck to your fridge, serving as reminders of the plans I need to make, dress I need to buy and, of course, gifts I need to buy.