J.C. Penney Tramples on Liz Claiborne and Misses a Great Opportunity

In the late 1980s I would go into Dayton's Department Store in Minneapolis and marvel at how much acreage was devoted to the Liz Claiborne apparel. Macy's, May Company, The Broadway and many others also carried substantial offering of the brand. Liz Claiborne was everywhere, and as an analyst I would lament that all stores looked alike. That isn't the case anymore. The department stores that are left have developed character and images of their own through exclusive designers and private labels. In the process, Liz Claiborne slowly lost its iconic status.