JCPenney names former Neiman Marcus exec as chief customer officer

Katie Mullen, JCPenney's chief customer officer. Image: JCPenney US department store chain JCPenney has appointed Katie Mullen to the role of chief customer officer, expanding her previous role of chief digital officer at the group. While Mullen will continue to oversee e-commerce strategy and omnichannel development, her new role comes with an added emphasis on customer marketing, engagement and analytics, among other elements. In particular, she has been tasked with delivering an end-to-end integrated shopping experience, as JCPenney continues to explore how to deepen loyalty with existing and new customers. In a release, Marc Rosen, chief executive officer of JCPenney, said: “A core part of JCPenney overarching transformation strategy and our shift back to the basics has been a relentless focus on our customer’s needs. “There are encouraging signs that we’re on the right track. We’ve seen an uptick in customers returning to shop with us – an increase in customer frequency for the first time in five years – and they’re spending more.” Prior to joining JCPenney, Mullen served as chief digital officer at Neiman Marcus Group, where she led the company’s e-commerce business and oversaw the performance marketing team responsible for product and category management. On her new role at JCPenney, she said: “I’m looking forward to continuing to improve how JCPenney reaches and serves America’s diverse working families. “In our efforts to restore relevance with customers, we’ve sought to better meet their style, product and shopping preferences while also making our stores more reflective of the communities around us. I’m excited to work alongside our JCPenney leadership team to continue engaging customers in ways that matter most to them.”
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UK sees first responsible denim wash facility

Image: Courtesy Blackhorse Lane Ateliers East London has welcomed the UK’s first sustainable denim wash facility, a new addition to the UK’s fashion and manufacturing services to keep production at home. Launching 20th April in Walthamstow, Blackhorse Lane’s Denim Wash Lab and Innovation Hub is a facility that will operate both commercially and as a learning resource for students. Brands, creatives and students can access the washing and finishing lab as well as research and develop new and more sustainable ways of working with denim washes. At the heart of the facility are two state-of-the-art machines - the G1 70 All-in-One washing machine and The Laser - made by Italian denim machinery specialists, Tonello, who, through pioneering technology, are continually improving the performance of their equipment to further reduce impact on the environment. The two machines, along with the company’s Metro software, which provides real time data to control all laundry consumption, optimise process times, and improve performance together from their proprietary Laundry (R)Evolution set up. Image: Wash lab courtesy Blackhorse Lane Ateliers A water reduction from 100L to 4L per wash Where standard denim washing uses 70 to 100 liters per wash along with tonnes of chemicals and stones, the Tonello system, which uses oxygen as part of the process, can ‘wash’ 12 pairs of jeans in 4 liters of water. Image: Blackhorse Lane Ateliers The benefits of facilitating R&D around sustainable laundering and finishing in London to the industry are manifold - alongside the desire to build on the socially oriented business model at the heart of BLA through an open access programme, factory owner Bilgehan “Han” Ates greatest ambition is the potential for UK designers to develop a unique ‘London’ aesthetic. With the flexibility of the small minimums the R&D centre will enable, Ates believes that designers will be able to push the boundaries of creativity where previously high minimums have forced them to play it safe. Ates commented: “We are very excited to be starting from a blank page - it means we have all that space to play and create, and whatever you play with and create with London knowhow, will inevitably become a London or even UK aesthetic. Our assumption and beliefs are, when a London or British designer comes to a London wash technician, through their shared cultural experiences, they will understand each other better, and encourage each other further, to create a more uniquely identifiable London or British aesthetic.” About Blackhorse Lane Ateliers Blackhorse Lane Ateliers (BLA) is London’s only craft-jeans maker. The brand makes ready-to-wear selvedge and organic raw denim jeans in its own factory in Walthamstow, East London with the ethos of encouraging its customers to “buy less, repair more”. Founded in 2015, the facility also produces garments for clients including TOAST, Studio Nicholson, Mr Porter and Matches Fashion. Image: Jeans by Blackhorse Lane Ateliers Funding for the facility was secured in conjunction with Chelsea College Centre for Circularity (UAL), through the government-backed Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology’s (BFTT) Small to Medium Enterprises Creative R&D Program. Additional funding came from The Productive Valley Fund (PVF), a 2.7 million pound flexible loan fund to support industry-led growth and celebrate local production and enterprise in the Upper Lee Valley.
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Quiz posts 17 percent increase in FY23 sales

Image: Quiz plc Fashion brand Quiz has reported that group revenue increased by 17 percent to 91.7 million pounds in the financial year ended March 31, 2023. Gross margins for the year were in line with management expectations and consistent with those recorded in the previous year, the company said. As a result, the group anticipates reporting increased profitability in FY23 with a pre-tax profit of around 2 million pounds. Commenting on the unaudited full year trading update, CEO Tarak Ramzan said: “The group delivered a good performance in FY23 achieving revenue growth across each of its channels reflecting the strength of Quiz’s trademark dressy and occasion wear product offering. “Whilst the external trading environment is expected to remain challenging in the near term, we remain highly confident in the group’s long-term prospects.” Strong UK sales The company’s sales in the UK increased by 23 percent to 45 million pounds, international revenues rose 10 percent to 16.4 million pounds, and online sales were up 12 percent to 29.8 million pounds. The company said in a release that in the early months of FY23 the group’s revenue growth benefited from a strong recovery in consumer demand for Quiz’s products following the removal of coronavirus-related social restrictions. However inflationary pressures began to impact consumer confidence impacting like-for-like revenues in February and March 2023, which were lower than the previous year. The company’s board believes that external headwinds may impact consumer demand across the group’s sector over the coming months, reducing its visibility for FY24.
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Nordstrom names Jason Morris as chief technology and information officer

Image: Nordstrom Nordstrom, Inc. has announced the appointment of Jason Morris as chief technology and information officer, effective May 1, 2023. Morris, the company said, has more than 25 years of technology experience in the retail industry and joins Nordstrom from Walmart, where he most recently led global enterprise technology as senior vice president of enterprise business services. Morris will oversee the company's technology functions, including engineering and data science and analytics. "Jason has a wealth of experience leading large, global teams to create and implement best-in-class retail technology solutions. He will play a critical role as we continue to advance our Closer to You market strategy, and we look forward to welcoming him to the team," said Erik Nordstrom, chief executive officer of Nordstrom, Inc. Prior to his current role at Walmart, Morris was vice president of customer-facing technology and led strategy, system development and implementation of hardware and software in more than 10,000 locations globally. Previously, the company added, Morris was responsible for technology development across many aspects of Walmart's retail business, including merchandising, replenishment, supplier management, real estate and global compliance. "I am excited to join this talented technology team to continue enhancing Nordstrom's digital capabilities and support the company's ongoing focus on using technology to serve customers in new and better ways," added Morris. Morris has a B.S. in mathematics and computer science from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and is a board member of the Arkansas Research Alliance Board and the industry advisory board for the University of Arkansas.
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