Chico's

Chico's FAS Inc. shareholders approved the sale of the fashion company for $1 billion cash to New York-based private equity firm Sycamore Partners, reports News-Press. New owner Sycamore Partners has moved Chico’s brands — Chico's, White House Black Market, and Soma — into KnitWell, a holding company formed last year. KnitWell also includes Ann Taylor,…

In episode 207 of Total Retail Talks, Executive Editor Joe Keenan speaks with Lester Holze, vice president of sales, retail and CPG at Experian Marketing Services, and Dan Thorpe, analytics leader at Chico's FAS. Listen in as Holze and Thorpe discuss why Chico's FAS chose Experian as its data partner and how the relationship has helped the women's…

In episode 179 of Total Retail Talks, Shelagh Stoneham, senior vice president of marketing, Chico's, reviews the women's apparel and accessories brand's #HowBoldAreYou social campaign, aimed at celebrating women's uniqueness and authenticity, and not just their ages. Stoneham offers insights into the customer feedback that Chico's has gotten from the campaign, as well as the…

Total Retail's sixth annual list of the leading female executives in the retail industry The 2016 list of the leading women executives in retail features some of the best and brightest minds in the industry. This year's honorees were chosen for being in a top-level position within a retail organization, along with several…

Clothing company Chico's FAS said Thursday it's eliminating 180 positions and may close up to 25 stores to cope with the economy's toll on retailers. Chico's, which operates its namesake retail stores, White House Black Market and Soma Intimates brands, has suffered from weak sales as consumers cut their spending back amid the recession. The job cuts represent roughly 11 percent of its workforce at its Fort Meyers, Fla. headquarters. The move is expected to save the company $15 million over the next year.

With a strong focus on in-store innovation and evolving its omnichannel retail strategy, Chico's FAS partnered with Tyco Retail Solutions, a provider of performance and security solutions, to address inventory accuracy and visibility challenges in 13 Soma Intimates pilot stores. Soma store associates can now access accurate, real-time inventory information in one place to better manage their deep merchandise assortment, helping to drive sales and customer satisfaction. The ability to have this level of inventory accuracy fosters confidence in associates to provide a better customer experience.

Chico's approach to marketing evolves each year, striving to break through all the clutter to reach current and potential customers in a more relevant and targeted way. To further this, come 2015 the retailer will invest in omnichannel in a meaningful way, including automation, cloud, new point-of-sale systems, RFID, customer engagement and mobile apps. Seeing positive changes from these investments, the retailer anticipates even further gains in 2015 and beyond, as the initiatives are expanding even further and rolled out to even more boutiques. 

Central to its long-term growth strategy is Chico's omnichannel initiatives. The retailer invests in technology that allows its customers to shop how, when and where she chooses to shop. To fully integrate community, content and commerce on all customers’ devices and in the boutique she favors, Chico's is focused on a cloud-based digital retail theater. It's become increasingly important to blend the online and in-store experience. For several years now, Chico's has taken advantage of its e-commerce assortment in the distribution center, enabling it to fulfill orders from other stores.

Chico's is looking to establish a Canadian footprint, and plans in late August to open three boutiques in Ontario. The Chico's brand was founded in 1983 as a boutique selling Mexican folk art and cotton sweaters from a store on Florida's Sanibel Island. Today, Chico's sells exclusively designed, private-branded clothing for women. "We couldn't be more thrilled for the opening of the first Chico's boutique in Canada," said Cinny Murray, Chico's brand president. "I'm so excited to bring the women of Canada fabulous Chico's fashion; this is an incredible growth opportunity for our brand."
 

Everything you do, everything you say, everything you are — and I mean everything — is a direct reflection of your brand. All of these things need to be managed and controlled, but in a way that doesn't seem managed and controlled. Sound difficult? It is. That's why so few brands actually do it well.