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JU N E 2011/ $7 .5 0
RETAILER OF
THE YEAR:
LORD & TAYLOR
BASEL REPORT
ICE
QUEEN
Fall 2011
RETAILER
OF
2011
THE
YEAR
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
26 Accessories/June 2011
Lord&Taylor
The oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the U.S.
shows off its makeover and kicks off a new chapter By Lauren Parker
The $25 million makeover of Lord & Taylor’s historic Fifth Avenue
flagship serves as an apt metaphor for the 185-year-old retailer’s
repositioning. In addition to modernizing, contemporizing and revitalizing,
much care was spent to preserve the original grandeur and heritage of the
650,000-square-foot landmark space. In essence, capture a more youthful
customer without alienating the, ahem, more mature.
But this was no superficial facelift. The updated flagship reinstates Lord
& Taylor’s position on Fifth Avenue and beyond, which had been in some
question after the 46-store retailer was bought and sold three times in just
six years, both via parent company takeovers/mergers and a single retailer
sell-off. The dust has settled since 2008, and Lord & Taylor now boasts a
new parent company (The Hudson’s Bay Trading Company), a new
president and chief executive officer (Brendan Hoffman), new websites
LordandTaylor.com and LTIntheKnow.com, and newly solidified
merchandising, marketing and e-commerce teams comprised of company
veterans. Two new stores are even planned to open next year—Lord &
Taylor’s first expansion in 10 years—and a kick-off for a new chapter.
So far, so good. In fact, 2010 sales at Lord & Taylor’s 46 stores rose
12.2% over 2009, and are now higher than pre-recession figures,
according to a recent article in The New York Times.
Leading the accessories charge are Liz Rodbell, EVP Merchandising
Apparel, Accessories, Cosmetics and Shoes, and MaryAnne Morin, SVP,
GMM Shoes, Handbags, Jewelry, Accessories, Coats, Suits and Swim.
Combined they have decades of experience with the company and
earned new titles in the restructuring.
Rodbell, who came to Lord & Taylor in 1985 as a dress buyer and
became GMM in 1992, was promoted from GMM to EVP with the
restructuring. Morin started at Lord & Taylor’s executive training program
and was promoted through the ranks over the years to DMM jewelry,
fashion accessories and handbags. After a brief hiatus, she was brought
back into the company in 2009 as DMM shoes and was promoted to SVP
GMM a few months later.
Both are thrilled to be working on accessories—the store’s hottest and
fastest-moving area. Accessories have grown as a percent to store total by
double digits, according to Rodbell, with footwear and handbags
increasing the most. Lord & Taylor is clearly invested in continuing the
momentum. To make sure no accessories space was sacrificed as
cosmetics grew by 3,000-square-feet in the major Fifth Avenue overhaul,
Lord & Taylor relocated certain men’s categories to upper floors.
New initiatives include a 50% increase in the shoe department,
increased open-sell formats, new contemporary brands, new trend setups,
outposting tests, even a newly created fine jewelry entrance giving Lord
& Taylor a Fifth Avenue fine jewelry storefront, like, oh, Cartier or Tiffany.
The renovation was clearly due and welcomed with opened arms.
“We hadn’t renovated for over 30 years in any meaningful way. It was time
for it,” says Rodbell. “The goal is to enhance the shopping experience and
enhance the productivity for Lord & Taylor. The renovation—most evident
in a lighter, brighter more up-to-date beauty department with video
monitors and light boxes—sets the stage for the whole store to be more
relevant to a younger consumer. Our existing customer has loved us, but
it’s an important face to put on the store, and the whole lighting initiative
has really driven sales.”
Construction-wise, the first thing the architects did was uncover many
of the windows on various floors—such as the contemporary
department—to let natural light flow in. “A lot of space was hiding this
amazing light,” says Rodbell. “But the new floors are amazing.”
To maintain Lord & Taylor’s incredibly rich heritage and the building’s
classicism, architects kept the building’s original light fixtures and installed
a huge new Swarovski chandelier on the mainfloor. The look is historic and
charming yet simultaneously modern. “Through our ‘architectural
intelligence’ we really embraced the old and made it new,” says Rodbell
about the decision to maintain a sense of history.
Heritage, in fact, remains so important at the company that Lord &
Taylor serves as the company’s only in-house brand in accessories.
Opposite page, clockwise from back left: Christina Callas, VP
Specialty Store Approach
E-Commerce; Christine Merrick; DVP, DMM Handbags, Fashion Jewelry &
Watches; Robin Lee, DVP, DMM Fashion Accessories; MaryAnne Morin,
SVP, GMM Shoes, Handbags, Jewelry, Accessories, Coats, Suits and
Swim; Amy Avitabile, SVP Marketing; Liz Rodbell, EVP Merchandising,
Apparel, Accessories, Cosmetics and Shoes
Lord & Taylor aims to offer an upscale experience but not exclusively
upscale merchandise. This was a conscious decision after re-evaluating
its positioning going forward.
>>
June 2011/Accessories 27
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Rendering of
the new store
in Westchester,
opening
March 2012
“We have a strong entrepreneurial approach; we work as a team but
embrace new ideas and independent thought.” —Liz Rodbell, EVP Merchandising
“In the early 2000s, we positioned ourselves as more upscale, then
2008 came and we had a grouping of stores that still did well with that
upscale assortment, but we took the time to reflect on what our
opportunities were going forward and what our mix would be.”
But maintaining the upscale shopping experience was paramount.
“We don’t want our stores to be too crowded or cluttered. It’s all part of
the elevated shopping experience,” says Rodbell. “We spend a lot of
time on directionals for visual presentation and work closely with the
execution of visuals.”
Great customer service is also key. “We have coaching programs in
place because we’re really focused on our selling team being
consumer-centric,” says Rodbell. “And we still have personal shoppers
[created in 1952].”
Lately, buzz is growing around the two new store openings. “We’re
eyeing opportunities and thinking of how we can expand our reach
further,” says Rodbell. One store, opening in Salem, New Hampshire, will
borrow elements from the New York remodeling as it’s an existing building.
The more impressive Westchester store, pictured above, is a brand-new
building, with a “more modern, bright feeling,” says Rodbell. “And at
70,000-square-feet, it’s a smaller format than we typically work with. It’s a
more edited assortment of Lord & Taylor’s best.”
“Edited” is a term that comes up a lot when discussing merchandising
with the VPs, GMMs, DMMs and buyers. After all, with no private brands
in many of the accessories classifications, Lord & Taylor must differentiate
its national brands from those at nearby stores.
It’s all in the mix, and this varies by store profile. With just one buying
office for all 46 stores and the online division, Lord & Taylor keeps close
watch over what performs where.
“We spend a lot of time dissecting the DNA of each store and thinking
through how to balance the assortments to the right demographics per
store,” says Rodbell. “At our size we can do that.”
Lord & Taylor maintains each store’s profile on its Intranet for constant
assortment re-evaluation. “It’s a specialty store mentality,” agrees SVP, GMM
28 Accessories/June 2011
MaryAnne Morin. “We have a lot of the brands that a true department store
has but we’ve bought them differently. Our environment is calmer and less
cluttered. We think it’s part of what the consumer has responded to in the
past few years and why we’ve bounced back.”
Another reason: with fewer layers of management to bog it down, Lord
& Taylor can move fast. “We can make a decision on a Monday and make
it happen by Wednesday,” says Morin. “Our vendors can scramble for us.
And when something isn’t working, we can react quickly too and move on.”
All retailers might worship the all-important Monday sales report, but
Lord & Taylor is different in that it also does mid-week readings for early
indicators. They can also react quickly, which is encouraged from the top.
Brendan Hoffman, the store’s president [who came back to Lord &
Taylor via Neiman Marcus Direct], has given the team more leeway to take
risks. “Brendan expects us to be the experts in our field so we can move
fast on the decision-making process,” says Morin. “A lot of us have been
here a long time and lived through the various trends. If we see a new
idea, we’ll tell the buyer, ‘go see what you can find and we’ll see how to
make it big.’”
Rodbell praises the company’s unity. “We have a strong
entrepreneurial approach; we work as a team but embrace new ideas
and independent thought. When you go through the history of where
we were and where we’re going as a corporation, we have strong
communication and clear leadership.”
That leadership is keeping a close eye on new and existing
opportunities. While contemporary and young consumers are outpacing
the more classic business in growth, Lord & Taylor takes a firm multigenerational approach so as not to alienate its core but still entice a new
base. The company already has a strong prom and mother-of-the-bride
business firmly in place, and now it’s heightening efforts for brides and
bridesmaids. “We go head to toe in these categories,” says Rodbell.
Tests are also under way for outposting accessories in apparel boutiques
(BCBG is one such success on floor 2) and the concept is new to the
Calvin Klein boutique on 4. “We’re exploring ideas on double-exposure.”
Cole Haan congratulates Lord & Taylor on this well deserved honor
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
1826
1863
1903
1944
1940
1931
1860
1914
1872
Making History
1926
1938
1941
1945
1826 English immigrant Samuel Lord and George Washington Taylor
(Lord’s wife’s cousin) found Lord & Taylor, a women’s hosiery and
shawl store on Catherine Street, New York, near where is now
the Brooklyn Bridge
1945 Lord & Taylor coins and copyrights the phrase “The American
Look,” summing up the young, brisk, easy way of dressing that
is a fashion trademark recognized around the world
1853 The store moves to Broadway and Grand Street. It is the first
store in New York City to use a large glass-domed central
rotunda to light its interior
1945 Dorothy Shaver is named president—the first female president in
a major retail establishment. She re-focuses the company on
customer service
1872 The store moves further uptown to Broadway and 20th Street to
an area soon called “Ladies’ Mile.” This is the first building in
New York with an iron frame. The store’s elaborate steam
elevator becomes a tourist destination, attracting thousands of
visitors each day
1957 Lord & Taylor introduces the first shop designed specifically for
the junior customer
1914 Lord & Taylor opens its flagship store and headquarters on Fifth
Avenue, the first major retailer to move uptown
1916 Lord & Taylor becomes a founding member of the American Dry
Goods Co, soon after renamed Associated Dry Goods Corp.
1926 Lord & Taylor celebrates 100 years of business
1938 To keep busy shoppers from leaving the store when hungry,
Lord & Taylor opens the first “quick lunch” counter
1938 Lord & Taylor fights for motion in window displays and presents
the first ever animated holiday windows
1940 With Paris occupied and French Fashion Houses closed, Lord &
Taylor becomes the first major retailer to take risks on new
American designers, featuring them in the store windows
1941 Lord & Taylor begins its major commitment to the war effort
1941 Lord & Taylor’s suburban Manhasset becomes the country’s first
true “branch” store of its kind
1944 Lord & Taylor sells a record-breaking $2 million worth of war
bonds in one day
30 Accessories/June 2011
1943 The American Beauty Rose becomes the symbol of Lord & Taylor
1948 Lord & Taylor becomes one of the first retailers to introduce
television to consumers
1948 Dorothy Shaver creates the first “special sizes” shop for the
petite woman
1950sThe store creates buzz by adding female elevator operators, with
brunettes manning one side and redheads the other
1952 Lord & Taylor creates the first personal shopping service
1953 Lord & Taylor presents an award for independent thinking, given
to Albert Einstein to honor his “non-conformity” in scientific
matters
1963 Lord & Taylor invites all of New York to ride its state-of-the-art
escalators on Fifth Avenue
1970sLord & Taylor starts expanding aggressively under CEO Joseph
E. Brooks, acquiring locations in Illinois, Michigan and Texas
1976 Lord & Taylor celebrates its 150th year of business
1980 In an act of patriotism, Lord & Taylor begins the tradition of
playing the “Star Spangled Banner” at the start of each day
1980sEleven Lord & Taylor doors open in South Florida
How do you see
style?
Sàfilo Group congratulates
Lord & Taylor
on achieving the honor of
2011 Accessories Retailer
of the Year.
We wish continued success to the entire
Lord & Taylor Accessories team.
sàfilo usa | 801 jefferson road | parsippany, new jersey 07054 | usa | p 973.952.2800 | f 973.560.1598 | mysafilo.com
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
1963
1947
1980
1952
2007
2008
1953
1987
1948
1971
1986 May Co. acquires Associated Dry Goods Corp., a strategy aimed
to also absorb the upscale Lord & Taylor division—the “crown
jewel” of ADG
1990sA westward expansion begins, with stores as far west as Denver
1997 Lord & Taylor moves into Philadelphia’s famous Wanamaker’s
flagship
2000 Jane Elfers takes the helm as CEO
2003 Lord & Taylor refocuses its energies on its upscale roots and core
East Coast market (New York City, Boston, Philadelphia,
Washington, D.C. metro) as well its midwest locations in
Chicago, Detroit, and St. Louis; 32 doors close (representing
38% of the division’s store base and 35% of its total square
footage, but only 19% of total sales)
2005 Federated Department Stores acquires May Co. and with it,
Lord & Taylor
2006 Federated CEO Terry Lundgren announces that it will close five
underperforming Lord & Taylor stores to prep the retailer for sale
by year’s end
2006 NRDC Equity Partners, LLC buys Lord & Taylor from Federated
for $1.2 billion. Lord & Taylor reports a jump in sales after many
of May’s stores take on the Macy’s nameplate in 2006
2007 Lord & Taylor’s Fifth Avenue store is named a New York City
landmark
2007 Lord & Taylor unveils a new corporate image to the public, which
includes a new branding campaign and advertising, shopping
bags and boxes, fewer coupon distributions and a new credit
card. Changes in merchandise are highlighted to bring the chain
into closer competition with other upscale department stores.
NRDC pledges to spend $250 on store renovations.
32 Accessories/June 2011
2000
1976
2008 Lord & Taylor reintroduces its iconic rose, beginning a new
Mother’s Day tradition
2008 NRDC acquires Canada’s The Hudson’s Bay Company and
creates The Hudson’s Bay Trading Company, a holding company
owning Lord & Taylor, the Bay stores and Canadian retailers like
Zellers department stores
2008 Brendan Hoffman becomes president and CEO of Lord & Taylor
in October 2008. He came from Neiman Marcus but had worked
at Lord & Taylor earlier in his career
2012 Lord & Taylor plans to open its first new stores in 10 years—one
in Westchester, New York, and one in Salem, New Hampshire.
Firsts & Foremosts…
• Lord & Taylor was the first major store of its kind on Fifth Avenue
• The country’s first true “branch store” is Lord & Taylor Manhasset
• Lord & Taylor plays the national anthem each morning through each
store’s speaker system before the store opens—a tradition dating
back to the Iran hostage crisis
• The Landmarks Preservation Commission named Lord & Taylor’s
Fifth Avenue flagship a New York City landmark in 2007. The 10-story
Renaissance Revival building designed by the architecture firm of
Starrett & Van Vleck was completed in 1914
• Lord & Taylor had 86 full-line stores across the country at one time
• Lord & Taylor was the first store to fill its Christmas windows with
spectacular displays rather than store merchandise
• Lord & Taylor was the first major store on Fifth Avenue to have a
female president (Dorothy Shavor, who was appointed in 1946)
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
From left: Buyer Vanessa
Tuason; DVP, DMM Christine
Merrick and buyer; Laura
Nigro in the Coach boutique
All in the Editing
A tightly focused handbag mix offers differentiation in national brands
With a handbag department full of national labels and no private
brands, Lord & Taylor must differentiate itself from other
department stores that carry similar merchandise. They found their
niche by editing tightly, uniquely maximizing key items and offering the
occasional collaboration. As a result, handbags have grown double digits,
even coming off a “spectacular 2010.”
“Our handbag floors are small so we have to be really focused,” says
Christine Merrick, DVP, DMM Handbags, Fashion Jewelry & Watches.
“It’s very organized and we don’t put out more than two bags per
color.” With less consumer brand loyalty in handbags these days, Lord
& Taylor stays fluid in its offerings, reducing or expanding space
depending on how a line looks that season.
Department growth has been in the more “modern contemporary”
realm and Lord & Taylor is expanding that point of view. Since the
revamp, they added higher-level brands like Elie Tahari handbags, with
retails ranging from $350 to $800. “We also have a contemporary brand
called Berje, which is about $500, and Juicy was added a few years
ago. Coming soon is the accessibly priced Ivanka Trump handbags, a
brand recently added in shoes.
Coach is the number one brand with Michael Michael Kors and Kate
Spade also stellar and continuing to grow double digits. All three have
significant in-store boutiques in many stores, adding to the presence.
Lord & Taylor introduced “faux” non-leather handbags in a big way
when times were tough. “We thought, instead of introducing leather
under $200, we’d go more fun and whimsical with non-leather
offerings. We do a Great Big Buddha business and we were one of
the first department stores to bring it in,” says SVP GMM MaryAnne
Morin. “Our strategy wasn’t to expand non-leather per se, but just to
look fresh and fashionable,” she explains. “Half the customers aren’t
even asking if it’s leather. Plus a lot of the brands have gone after
34 Accessories/June 2011
non-leather materials such as nylon, jellies and straw.” Lord & Taylor
saw a void in straw handbags and went after it in a big way at all
pricepoints.
In fact, Lord & Taylor saw straw as a major opportunity. “We saw
straw in national brands doing well but we didn’t have it at a lower
pricepoint,” says Morin “So we shopped for a $100 pricepoint straw in
lesser-known brands.” The multi-brand straw shop reflects the range.
But while the Lord & Taylor customer comes looking for her favorite
brands, she also wants to see what else is out there. “Our buyers do an
amazing job covering the market,” says Merrick. “We make sure to stay
in front of the trends and push the market for first delivery.”
Lord & Taylor also just launched Calvin Klein handbags this spring,
produced under license with G3 Apparel. “This launch gives our customer
a leather designer name starting at $200 with great hardware.”
According to Merrick, hot items and silhouettes now are the handheld satchel and the cross body. “We’re seeing the smaller silhouette
with the shoulder strap and we’re seeing the emergence of the oversized
East/West clutch, although we always make sure it has a drop strap.”
For Fall/Holiday, Lord & Taylor is betting on structured satchels,
shoulder bags, the emerging oversized clutch, animal prints, exotics
(python print), huge color blocking and leopard.
For holiday, key items and gift-giving programs will be anniversaried,
and Lord & Taylor will be going after the tech category as well, a niche that
it also exploits during Mother’s Day in both new and established brands.
“SLGs are up double digits. It’s a great gift and we see a real pickup in
2nd and 4th quarters. We infused novelties and lots of color,” says Merrick.
What’s growing is the 4th quarter boxed gift business within the
classification. “Certain vendors didn’t offer a boxed program so we
worked with them to provide a Lord & Taylor box,” explains Morin.
“We think it’s that important.” —Lauren Parker
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
From left:
DVP, DMM
Christine
Merrick and
jewelry buyer
Helen Cain
A New Attitude
When it comes to fashion jewelry, trend is the trend
“Our jewelry customer is really fast,” says Christine Merrick, DVP, DMM
Handbags, Fashion Jewelry & Watches. “She’s always wanting the newest.”
To keep up with her, the fashion jewelry department at Lord & Taylor
has been showing off new brands and a new attitude that caters to a
growing contemporary customer. As a result, fashion jewelry is
exhibiting double-digit growth with the trend business showing the
most strength. This has been achieved with a major open-sell initiative
that makes the trends visually enticing and accessible.
“We’ve always had an open-sell approach to fashion jewelry, but
we’re just really maximizing sales-generating categories now,” says
Merrick. “What’s great about the whole trend area is that it’s so fluid.
There are open-sell pegboards, tables and towers so we can flow in
whatever’s hot and it always looks great.” Signage drives the trends
even further.
Long boho necklaces are “explosive” right now and are grouped by
color for impact. Brands are all mixed together, as the trend-of-themoment is first and foremost. While necklaces are the strongest right
now, sales are also up in bracelets and earrings,
with colorful bead, bangle and wrap bracelets extremely strong. In
rings, look-of-real, cocktail, stretch rings and even double-knuckle
rings are increasing.
To capture the craze leading up to the Royal Wedding, Lord & Taylor
did a Kate Middleton “royal inspired” ring, with “royal jewelry”
merchandised together.
In brands, the Kate Spade business “has been outstanding and has
evolved like none other. We’ll have them in all our doors by fall,” says
Merrick, who notes that among Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade and
Lucky, Lord & Taylor hits all the store’s demographics and trends.
The department has also seen an influx in new brands in recent
years, with the newest including Kendra Scott, Sequin, BCBGeneration,
Gerard Yosca and Marc by Marc Jacobs. T Tahari jewelry (licensed to
Vendome) is coming this fall and Lord & Taylor will also introduce
Vince Camuto (licensed to Trebbiano). Prices are mid-tier for both.
Ironically, the newest thing in jewelry is the oldest. Starting with the
relaunch of the Fifth Avenue store, Lord & Taylor launched a case of
36 Accessories/June 2011
vintage jewelry. “This is new for us. We buy from a vintage dealer and
have a special tag that describes the piece, the brand if appropriate,
and what it’s made of, which is sometimes gold,” says Merrick.
Lord & Taylor has a significant special occasion business, featuring
Swarovski, Nadri and Givenchy. “We do have jewelry outposted through
the store, and if we have events, we’ll tack onto them too,” says
Merrick, noting the importance of outposting around its big Prom
business on the third floor. Special occasion is primarily clear stones,
but lately Lord & Taylor infused rose gold into its assortments—both in
fashion and bridge—with “terrific” results. “Rose gold is really growing
and we have it as a top-of-counter earring display, often mixed with
champagne stones.”
For Fall/Holiday, Lord & Taylor is betting on pearl bracelets and
necklaces in white, ivory metallic and a rosy gold, which it will reiterate
on its “What We Love” catalog pages. “We’ve also seen chokers on the
runways and are planning that for holiday in velvet.”
Also enjoying double-digit growth is bridge jewelry, which focuses on
the more classic and modern woman. “Trend jewelry reaches the more
contemporary woman but bridge is more ‘idea driven,’” says Merrick.
Most of the merchandise retains the in-house Lord & Taylor label with
exceptions from Crislu, Simon Sebbag and Lori Bonn. Carded
necklaces from Dogeared and yoga-inspired pieces from Satya
represent Lord & Taylor’s sentiments jewelry area.
Newest to the department are much bolder looks such as
electroform, which offers volume without weight. “Fashion looks are
really new in this area,” says Merrick. “Rose gold in bridge is another
big idea and we might also experiment with touches of colored
plating—hematite or black—as there is a lot of that in fine jewelry.”
Also new are bold strands of semiprecious beaded necklaces with
touches of silver. “The key is to make sure these differ from our beaded
necklaces in fashion jewelry, which can be semiprecious as well,” says
Merrick. “But the ones in bridge are heavier and more substantial,
featuring faceted, graduated beads.”
Driving impulse sales are open-sell earrings towers, featuring sterling,
CZ and marcasite.
—Lauren Parker
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Buyer Elise
Trencher (left)
and DVP,
DMM
Christine
Merrick
It’s About time
Watches are ticking again with an inviting open-sell format
Who says computers and cell phones killed the watch
business? All this digital technology might have made wristwatches
less urgent as time-pieces, but heightened efforts in watch design have
made them must-have fashion-pieces once again.
“Fashion watches are one of the fastest growing areas in the entire
company,” says Christine Merrick, DVP, DMM Handbags, Fashion Jewelry
& Watches, who points out “staggering double-digit growth” in watches.
“They’ve been the accessory of choice for some time. Fashion watches
are outperforming fine, and that business is also great.”
Lord & Taylor also expanded the watch department and is looking to
expand it further. “Watches are a big category and big focus area for the
company,” Merrick notes. “The department also acts as a bridge
connecting the fashion jewelry and fine watch departments.”
The success of the fashion watch market also underscores how
consumers are willing to spend for the right product. “Our fastest-growing
business is watches and that department does not get promoted,” says
MaryAnn Morin, SVP, GMM. “It’s a regular-priced business. The average
unit retail price has increased every single year even in 2008. If we get the
price/value relationship right at the beginning, we don’t need to promote it.”
Merrick attributes much of the department’s success to a new
merchandising approach that maximizes open-sell tables, walls and topof-counter from key brands and a new trend wall that mixes brands as per
a key fashion idea.
For spring, that idea is a visuall enticing wall of “color” that draws
consumers over with eye-catching, candy colored brights from a variety of
brands. The wall also features the department’s opening pricepoint of
Rumba Time colored watches at $20. “At this pricepoint, they just beg to
be purchased in multiples, whether to wear stacked, mixed in with
bracelets, or to give as gifts,” says Merrick.
38 Accessories/June 2011
And unlike some department stores that stick to major tried-and-true
brands, Lord & Taylor is also not afraid to bring in up-and-comers such as
Rumba Time, TKO slap watches or La Mer Collection’s triple-wrap
leather bracelets with studs and hanging chains. “Consumers are really
looking for something unique today,” says Merrick.
The newest trend is rose gold, which is “on fire” and emulates what’s
happening in fine watches, as well as jewelry. Another very strong trend is
the oversized metal bracelet “boyfriend watch” in yellow or rose gold,
which has even trickled down to smaller sizes with the same design.
Ceramic remains strong, particularly in white, although it’s become more of
a staple than a trend these days.
Something else that’s new for watches are in-store events. “We just had
an event with the TKO slap watches, which ‘slap’ onto your wrist and
wrap around. At the event, consumers could come get them personalized
by having their name painted on the straps,” says Merrick. “It’s like the
monogramming event we do with totes at Lauren Ralph Lauren.”
Still, strongest performing brands are watch heavies like Michael Kors,
AK Anne Klein and G-Shock Baby G, but Lord & Taylor puts its own
edited spin on things for differentiation. Other key brands are Marc by
Marc, Toy watches and Sprout, the latter a relatively new eco brand starts
at $55 and is called out on tables. Baby-G is doing really well with its
limited-edition collaborations, such as one with Kesha or the upcoming
one with Married to the Mob.
For holiday, Lord & Taylor is seeing lots of pavé in its watches, as well
as rose gold and big, bold watches. “We also added a boxed program for
Mother’s Day and will be continuing boxed in a big way for holiday. We’ve
always been known for our boxed programs but there is a lot more
innovation in the offerings now. It’s all about the box.”
—Lauren Parker
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
EVP
Merchandising
Liz Rodbell (left)
and SVP, GMM
MaryAnne
Morin
Yes, the Shoe Fits
A stepped up footwear department created a hot shoe destination
Footwear is on fire at Lord & Taylor, and both new and loyal
customers have made the enlarged, renovated department a major
shopping destination.
“We track total shoe sales from NPD Group, and Lord & Taylor has
consistently out-trended the industry for the past several years,” says
MaryAnne Morin, SVP, GMM. “We’ve also dramatically increased shoes
as a percent to total store penetration every year over the past eight years.
Even in the recession’s darkest days, shoes continued to grow.”
The boost has come from two renovations since 2008, in which the
flagship’s second-floor footwear department grew 50% in size. At the
retailer’s overall doors, they’ve completed both front-of-house and
back-of-house renovations in half the stores. “The customer will never
see most of the work we did, but our sales increases have dramatically
increased beyond our space, so we’ve had to make changes to
improve efficiency.”
Lord & Taylor carries about 100 brands, and 19 new ones were
added in the past two years (some as replacements to dropped labels,
others as added layers). “We’ve always had a very developed ‘updated
classic’ business, but we augmented that with modern and
contemporary brands,” says Morin, noting House of Harlow and Ivanka
Trump as two new brands. For this coming fall, another 12 new
vendors will appear, from contemporary brands like Plenty by Tracy
Reese and Kelsi Dagger to new brands like CK Jeans.
Retails range from $80 to $300 for the year-round business; $100 to
$450 for boots; and $39 to $150 for sandals. Aside from some jellies
and flip flops, all footwear is leather. Since boots have been such a hot
category of late and Lord & Taylor has increased their penetration,
average unit prices have risen as boots are often pricier.
One area that Lord & Taylor excels at is highlighting new multi-brand
trends within categories. “If you compare us to other companies, we
do more trend statements in our seasonal zones,” says Morin. For Q2,
the three trend statements were Wedges, Espadrilles and Ankle
40 Accessories/June 2011
Interest. The customer is used to filtering for trends on the Internet,
and we want to filter it for her at the store.
“In the styleout process, we spend the most time deciding which
categories are worth getting a table. For example, for boots, we
highlighted Over-the-Knee, Lace-Up, Short Dress, Tall Dress, and we’ll
call out a category or two that we feel is the newest and most exciting.
We don’t do signage for every one, but the statement is made on the
tables. Our core customer is very loyal and she’s in our store on
average once a month, so we need to point our what’s new and what
Lord & Taylor believes in.”
Shoe and boot wardrobing has also become more important than
ever and women aren’t just buying their one boot for the season. To
facilitate multiple purchases, Lord & Taylor runs a highly successful
Buy More, Save More promotion in March, June, September and
October. The three-tiered promotion runs from 20% off to 40% off,
with the discount improvement incrementally by 5% with each
subsequent purchase, up to three pairs. And since LordandTaylor.com
carries the same footwear merchandise, an in-store sales associate
can always order a sold-out pair online to add to the promotion.
For Fall/Holiday, Lord & Taylor is optimistic about fur within boots,
with Ugg remaining a big part of that equation. “We believe in the tall
shaft, but less over-the-knee than before,” says Morin.
One area that has really exploded is rain. “I don’t think two years
ago women thought of having a rain boot, but Hunter has brought
tremendous growth to that category,” says Morin. “It seems so many
brands have added rain boots—Coach, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, to
name a few. I don’t think we’ve even maximized the category yet.”
Retails range from $70 to $175.
Shoes also fit perfectly into Lord & Taylor’s multi-generational
shopping strategy. Just think: sitting and waiting for shoes to arrive
is the perfect mother/daughter bonding time!
—Lauren Parker
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Buyer Kate Tracy
(left) and DVP,
DMM Robin Lee
Weather or Not
Mostly Northeast stores means a close eye on the weather channel
Robin Lee has two titles. The official one is DVP, DMM Fashion
Accessories, Outerwear, Ladies Coats and Swimwear, a position she
acquired two years ago. The other: The Weatherman.
“No one is more weather-conscious than Robin,” says her SVP, GMM
MaryAnne Morin. It makes sense. With most of Lord & Taylor’s locations in
the Northeast and/or East Coast, weather factors strongly into buying and
planning decisions. And since the weather has been so volatile lately, Lord
& Taylor makes sure to plan against the norm for the past five years for a
historic perspective, not just last season’s comps.
The biggest excitement now in the fashion accessories department is a
marked return to silk scarves. While Lord & Taylor has always had an
established silk scarf customer, the new customer is treating it entirely
different than her mother. “Silk scarves are definitely trendy again, both
modern and classic customers are looking to update their wardrobes and
it’s so exciting to see the younger customer buying into this,” says Lee.
“She doing it in more creative ways too—tying scarves on her handbag, in
her hair, wearing them as a belt. Now it’s cool again.”
Lord & Taylor is instructing the stores to use visuals, from mannequins
to signage, that show the various ways to wear a scarf. In fact, they
ordered more headforms to accommodate the presentation.
“Oblongs remain key, but newness is in the 36” x 36” oversized square,
but it’s more than just classic florals that are selling. What looks particularly
new are status prints, and motifs and details such as butterflies, stripes
42 Accessories/June 2011
and feathers,” says Lee. “Small neckerchiefs are uptrending, particularly in
stripes and color.”
Hats are another hot category that has gained favor with a younger
customer, and coming off a strong 2010, the store is planning them up.
Biggest growth is in cloches and fedoras, and of course trappers in
coldweather. “Since our revamp, we did a table presentation for hats and
we make sure the stores use hats on mannequins.
Sunhats are the strongest category in hats, and while Lord & Taylor
doesn’t call out sun protection per se, many of the brands’ labels call
attention to it. For fall, look for Boho and ’70s looks plus felts.
Sunwear, which used to get squeezed out by coldweather merchandise
in the winter, has been relocated to the back of the store for a larger,
permanent location. “We exited out of that lower-end promotional
business and $70 to $95 is the new sweet spot,” says Lee. “The
consumer wants value and that’s encouraging. Business has been really
strong in classic aviators and we keep a great presentation year-round.
Key brands are Ray-Ban, Marc by Marc and Kate Spade.” Some new
brands for the department include Vince Camuto and House of Harlow
[Nicole Richie’s label].
Coldweather is a strong category for the Northeast chain, particularly as
gift items, and it’s also where the private-label Lord & Taylor brand shows
up. Coldweather has been the biggest success story in Fashion
Accessories in recent years, both due to cold winters and lots of fashion
The Echo Design Group
salutes
Lord & Taylor
2011 Retailer of the Year
Congratulations to
Liz Rodbell, MaryAnne Morin,
Christine Merrick, Robin Lee
and the entire accessories team.
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
SVP GMM Jonathan Greller
newness. “We’re always looking to add new brands and we’re adding
Calvin Klein coldweather accessories this fall,” says Lee.
Gloves remain the largest category, with Lord & Taylor classic
cashmere-lined leather gloves from $49.99 to $54.99 a destination item.
The newest trend that has the most growth potential is texting and
touch-screen gloves. “Anything that allows the ability to text—from arm
warmers to fingerless gloves to pop-top mittens to gloves with touch
technology are hot,” says Lee.
Fur is on fire, both real and faux, and the company concedes they didn’t
buy enough of it last year and will be expanding it this fall and pulling
together a major statement. “What’s great is that despite the recession and
rising fur prices, in accessories she can register the fur trend at a lower
price than a full fur coat,” says Lee. Newness continues in neckwear
silhouettes, longer hairs, rabbit and even some pops of color. “We saw the
fur collar with ties [the tippet] on the runways but not necessarily in the
market,” says SVP, GMM Morin. “We’re already dealing with the materials
so we chose some vendors and had them make it for us with satin ribbon
ties. This will be the newest item in fur trends.”
The fur vest has been strong, whether in real Mongolian lamb or fox or
faux fur, and there’s still more potential. “We believe she’ll be buying fur
vests for 2011 and all the new shearling looks can give her a reason to buy
another one.”
Belt business is strong, and Lord & Taylor is planning increases there as
well. “Belts are a destination,” says Lee. “Consumers don’t happen upon a
belt; they want one.” Lord & Taylor is adding new colors and widths, not to
mention python prints as an extension of the always-popular animal print.
Stretch belts are a big part of the assortment, as are adjustable belts
that really allow the consumer to contour the belt to her waist.
Skinny belts have a big presentation. “When you walk to the belt
department you can really see their impact.”
Get a Leg Up
Legwear might be upstairs but woman know where to find it.
As has become a trend at most department stores, Lord & Taylor moved
Hosiery/Legwear off the mainfloor about five years ago, where it resides
in the Intimate Apparel department. But despite losing that mainfloor
44 Accessories/June 2011
exposure, hosiery business is up, with leggings driving the sales.
‘‘This category has been better than expected and we continue to
capitalize on this trend,” says Jonathan Greller, who became SVP, GMM
Mens, Intimate Apparel, Sleepwear, Activewear & Children’s two years ago
[he started at the company as a buying intern before joining the executive
training program upon graduation].
“To capitalize on the legging trend, Lord & Taylor has outposted
leggings in Missy sportswear whenever possible.”
Sheers, socks and tights are all seeing positive growth and the
breakdown is as follows:
40%
Sheer
17%
Leggings
17%
Tights
20%
Socks
6%
Slippers
This department has benefited from the store’s architectural redesign,
which opened up the 8th floor windows by the redesigned Calvin Klein &
DKNY Intimate apparel shops, bringing in more light and an airier feel.
“We will continue to find ways to create a better shopping experience.
We differentiate ourselves with terrific brands at great values in a great
shopping experience. We carry an edited and easy-to-shop assortment
that touches on all the trends. We carry basic black tights at Lord & Taylor
but there is a reason for every black tight we carry. We offer Control or No
Control and different choices for the coverage needed on the leg.
In addition to leggings, growth has been seen in textured sheers,
basics and patterns. In socks, multipacks and fashion variations are
driving the category.
Legwarmers continue as well as above-the-knee styles. “We believe
that legwarmers are ageless,” says Greller.
While the department has been all branded up until now, Lord & Taylor
socks and tights will debut this fall in all doors, according to Greller.
“We’ve been seeing a trend in sheer for the last 12 months,” says
Greller. “Textured sheers are new and have been gaining the interest of the
younger consumer. Textured sheers, basics, patterns and leggings are
growing within this category.”
Fashion anklets and sheers; color and patterns sold best for spring.
Overall, Lord & Taylor is betting on leggings, sock layering trends and
sheers going forward for fall.
—Lauren Parker
congratulates the
Lord & Taylor
accessories team
www.dooney.com
All of us at
congratulate our friends at
LORD & TAYLOR
for their dedicaon and connued
excellence which has earned them this
well deserved honor.
Helen Cain N Liz Rodbell N MaryAnne Morin N Chrisne Merrick
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Market Smart
Lord & Taylor is enjoying marketing’s brave new world
In today’s plugged-in world of sensory overload, marketers
need to think smarter, not necessarily richer.
“From a spend perspective, Lord & Taylor’s marketing budget is flat, but
we’re able to be much smarter in how we invest in marketing,” says Amy
Avitabile, SVP Marketing. “You can maximize the reach better, plus these
new channels—online, social, email, etc.—are very
measurable. This gives us more confidence in how
we allocate our dollars.”
Marketing is all about understanding your
customer, but it helps to know your product too.
Avitabile knows both, having been with Lord & Taylor
for 17 years—starting out of graduate school in a
finance capacity, holding several positions in
operations and ultimately landing in marketing in 1997.
After analyzing the many marketing outlets to
choose from, Lord & Taylor started stepping up its
TV spend two years ago, airing its first divisionspecific TV campaign in March.
This “Shoe TV” event was held during the
company-wide “Buy More Save More” shoe event,
which increases the percentage off with each
subsequent pair purchased. It was so successful the
company just held its first fine jewelry TV campaign
to capitalize on Mother’s Day.
46 Accessories/June 2011
“TV is growing for us and what’s great is that we can repurpose the
content as video on the web,” says Avitabile, who notes Lord & Taylor’s
heightened interest in YouTube using both repurposed and original
content. “We had a couple of YouTube videos this spring and will go
bolder this fall. The key is to get people thinking about our brand.” The
most important thing? It must be interesting, funny
and/or catchy enough that people will forward and
repost it so it grows virally.
Another hot marketing tool that Lord & Taylor has
jumped on is the timed, or flash sale. Having tested with
Rue La La, Lord & Taylor decided to utilize the model for its
own flash sales started a year and a half ago—a tactic also
utilized at retailers like NeimanMarcus.com and Saks.com.
Aptly called “Lunch Break,” since they’re held from
12pm to 2pm and indeed many women shop from their
office computers, these two-hour sales create an
urgency and excitement. “We featured great product in
limited quantity,” says Avitabile. “It’s a very ‘buy it now or
miss out’ mentality.” Consumers who sign up for Lord &
Taylor’s email stream will see what’s coming and get the
opportunity to act fast.
Capitalizing on that flash-sale urgency, Lord & Taylor
Amy
also holds a semi-annual Deal of the Day—once in
Avitabile
spring for Mother’s Day and once in the fall for the
congratulates
2011 RETAILER OF THE YEAR
THE LORD AND TAYLOR TEAM
for their outstanding commitment to the industry
Vince and Louise Camuto
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
holiday season. The week-long sale features one special item in-store and
online, and it changes daily for a week. “We’ve had great success with a
pearl strand necklace and handbags. There’s no size in these accessories
so they’re great for gift giving.”
Lord & Taylor has also gone social. Its Facebook page, launched in
December 2008, now has 78,000 fans. “In the store, it’s hard to
communicate with consumers in an open manner, but on Facebook we
use it to create dialog, not just to promote events or sales,” says Avitabile.
“We’ll throw out questions and see what people say. We had 160
comments and even more ‘likes’ to the post ‘If you were marrying a prince,
which designer would make your dress?’”
Lord & Taylor also discovered that consumers love to talk about their
shoes. “Ask them about their latest shoe purchase and they’ll discuss it, not
to mention post photos,” says Avitabile. “She also loves fun shoe
sweepstakes, namely the ‘Win a pair of shoes a month for a year.’ These
things go viral very quickly.”
Lord & Taylor is also eyeing mobile commerce as an area for huge
growth. “We’re not mobile enabled yet but we do communicate with our
customers via text messages and offers to their phones,” says Avitabile.
“Consumers can sign up for mobile alerts on our websites. We have a
Friends and Family special going on now, and we send the mobile code to
the phone so customers can just show it to the sales associates. You don’t
need to print it out.”
LT In the Know Lord & Taylor knows that having a web presence is
more than just selling pretty things to your customers on an e-
commerce site. Now, you need to position yourself as an expert in your
field and offer information and style advice too. In 2010, Lord & Taylor
launched “LT In the Know” (ltintheknow.com) as a place where the store
can talk news, events, trends and causes, not to mention post videos of
past events and calendar listings of upcoming events.
“It was an effort to gain more media and increase our social footprint,
and offer a hub for bloggers as a place to come and find content on Lord
& Taylor that they can repost,” says Avitabile.
Shop Smart. Do Good! Lord & Taylor holds in-store fundraising
shopping events in 10 to 11 stores every season. “We partner with
local non-profits in the community, hosting a ticketed event to raise
money for their respective organizations,” says Avitabile. “In 2010 we
raised $640,000 for those organizations. It’s a fun, lively day and for a
good cause.”
For April’s Autism Awareness Month, Lord & Taylor will donate $5,000
to Autism Speaks, as well as $1 for each Lord & Taylor Facebook fan who
gifts the autism puzzle piece in the month of April (up to $5,000). It’s also
selling $2 Autism Awareness bracelets with free shipping.
Another event is WACOAL Fi(gh)t for the Cure™, where consumers
receive a complimentary fitting in a Wacoal or b.tempt’d bra from a
Wacoal fit specialist. For every woman that participates, Wacoal donates
$2 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® for breast cancer research and
community outreach programs, plus an additional $2 for every Wacoal bra,
shapewear piece or b.tempt’d bra purchased at these events.
—Lauren Parker
From left: Crowds enjoy the party; the
New York Jets cheerleaders; Nigel
Barker; Shoshanna Gruss. Images
courtesy of Riccardo Savi/WireImage
for Lord & Taylor
FASHION’S NIGHT OUT
When Fashion’s Night Out debuted almost three years ago, no one could have predicted what a huge success it would be.
The second installation in 2010 was on a Friday night, so Lord & Taylor planned and prepared for an even more fabulous evening. They
weren’t disappointed.
“We doubled our traffic for that evening over the prior year,” says Avitabile. But while consumers could partake in the variety of in-store events,
Lord & Taylor still made shopping conducive. “It was really nice to see young customers in the store carrying Lord & Taylor bags. We’re working
feverishly on the next one to capitalize on the success.”
At the event, consumers who checked in on the main floor received a key. They then had the chance to unlock one of several prizes such as
tickets to Fashion Week, an iPad and iPod package, two VIP tickets to the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting including access to the Top of the
Rock, dinner, and a sparkling gift bag, and many more. Other events during the evening included:
• Receive a temporary Swarovski tattoo for trying on any item in our Swarovski Shop;
• Choose your own Radley London handbag charm with your Radley London purchase.
• Get a complimentary makeover and we’ll photograph you so you can show off your new look on your Facebook page.
• Meet shoe designer Libby Edelman and personalize your favorite flat with exclusive charms with any Libby Edelman purchase.
• Meet “footwear visionary” Vince Camuto and receive an autographed gift bag with any Vince Camuto shoe purchase.
• With any $100 purchase, get photographed by Top Model judge and fashion photographer, Nigel Barker. Plus get a copy of his new book,
“Nigel Barker’s Beauty Equation.”
• Shop the hottest fall trends while DJ Elle spins the latest tracks. Plus snap and share pictures of your new BCBGeneration look in the supercool
photo kiosk!
• Stud Your UGG® - Have an artist customize your UGG purchase
—Lauren Parker
48 Accessories/June 2011
CONGRATULATIONS
TO LIZ RODBELL AND THE ENTIRE ACCESSORY MERCHANDISING TEAM
ON A WELL DESERVED RETAILER OF THE YEAR AWARD
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Michael Kors Boyfriend Watch
Key Color: Rose Gold
New Handbag Launch
Calvin Klein Leathers
Big Buddha Handbags
Key design: Laser-Cut Florals
Statement Jewelry
Key Motif: Flowers
Ray-Ban Sunglasses
Key Shape: Vintage Cat-Eye
Printed Scarves
Key Material: Silk
OMG! ITʼS OMLT! Lord & Taylor has gotten
chatty, even leading off its new Oh My Lord &
Taylor spring catalog with quick quotes from its
Facebook page that praise the store, its trends
and assortments and even salespeople from
specific departments. These images capture
the hottest looks for spring.
Rubber Watches
Key Color: Blue
Pretty Pumps
Key Shade: Neutral
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Always On(line)
The revamped website takes a digital view of fashion
Without losing sight of its century-plus heritage in its renovation
and repositioning, Lord & Taylor has embraced the modern age with
open arms. This is evident on
LordandTaylor.com, a robust e-commerce site
Christina
that was relaunched in 2008 with a new look
Callas
and new angle.
To head up the repositioning, Christina
Callas joined Lord & Taylor as head of ecommerce in 2008 (having run e-commerce
sites at David’s Bridal and Aeropostale) and
was more recently also made VP of ecommerce for all of Hudson’s Bay Company’s
retail properties.
While many retailers employ separate teams
to manage and buy for the online business,
Lord & Taylor keeps it one and the same. As a
result, the online merchandise offerings mirror
what the consumer will find when she steps
into one of the 46 stores.
“This [unified] strategy has worked beautifully
for us,” says Callas. “Our merchants are the
best in the business and we saw no need to
replicate their roles specifically for online. They
understand the power of this channel and know how to use it drive
growth. A single buying team also means a more seamless experience
for our customers, which is something that we strive to deliver.”
It’s obviously paid off. In its first two years since the revamp,
LordandTaylor.com showed triple-digit growth and continues to grow.
One of the benefits of having the same merchandise in-store and online
is that the retailer can track exactly what the differentials are. “For the most
part what sells well in stores also sells well online, but on occasion we do
see some differences,” says Callas. “Our better handbags, for example,
sell quite well online and have a slightly higher penetration.” And while
shoes are a great classification in-store, they outperform online, most likely
due to the ease of narrowing the huge assortment via search filters.
“The relaunch strategy was threefold: We wanted to create an online
shopping environment that is inviting, convenient and fun; dramatically
52 Accessories/June 2011
increase the online assortment so that she can find what she needs—
whether she is shopping online or researching an in-store purchase;
and deliver the same great customer service that she
receives in store,” says Callas.
To offer focused trend direction and facilitate
cross-shopping, Lord & Taylor recently launched
Trend Guides. “They’ve quickly become a customer
favorite,” says Callas. “We worked with our fashion
directors to create seven looks each season that tell
our customers how to pull together outfits that look
on-trend and fresh. The guides give advice about
each item and why it works well with the outfit, and
all pieces can be easily shopped on the same page.
These guides help our customers find the key pieces
of the season as well as provide tips on how to pull
together the looks. We absolutely see an uptick in
accessories and complete looks when a customer
shops on this page.”
Online boutiques also highlight favorite fashion
pieces from the Oh My Lord & Taylor print campaign.
“In the boutique, customers can shop the featured
items as well as like items and complementary
accessories to complete the look,” says Callas.
Like all retailers who combine a brick-and-mortar strategy and ecommerce, Lord & Taylor gets crossover shoppers. “While the web
attracts a number of new customers to Lord & Taylor, the majority of
online shoppers also shop in stores,” says Callas, noting that they
often use the web to research and pre-shop. “Our goal is to support
our customer where ever she chooses to shop,” says Callas.
“LordandTaylor.com is another way for her to interact with our product
and our brand.”
The company doesn’t have any shopping apps yet, but it does have
a mobile-enabled site (m.lordandtaylor.com)
“Online is absolutely the future of retail,” says Callas. “Whether used
for shopping online or communication with customers. How digital will
shape retail is very exciting to me.”
—Lauren Parker
CONGRATULATIONS TO
- From Your Friends at HAN D BAG S & JEW EL R Y
29 West 35th Street, 4th Floor, NY, NY 10001 Tel: 212.868.2770
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
All the Buzz
Why vendors just love working with Lord & Taylor
“Coach has a longstanding, productive
and mutually beneficial relationship with
Lord & Taylor and that relationship is
stronger today than ever. Brendan Hoffman
and Liz Rodbell lead a team of accomplished
and innovative merchants, as well as being
terrific partners. They are among the best in
the business and are deserving of the honor of
being named Retailer of the Year.”
—Kathy Nedorostek, President, North American
Wholesale & Global Licensing, Coach, Inc.
“Lord & Taylor has become a great
partner for us. They believe in and
understand the inspiration behind our
brand and their assortment reflects that.
They are not afraid to take risks for their
customers by investing in a statement
piece or a bold color. Their renovation has
given the stores a more playful and
comfortable experience and I believe that is
helping them to bring in new customers that
54 Accessories/June 2011
they may not have seen for a while. Each of
our locations has a kate spade new york
environment that reflects our brand image.
This space shows the customer that Lord &
Taylor and kate spade new york work with
synergy to create the best possible shopping
experience.”
brands within their store. They are terrific
partners and excellent retailers. The team is
great at spotting trends and emerging brands
and supporting them through outreach to their
sophisticated clientele.”
—Craig A. Leavitt, Chief Executive Officer,
kate spade new york
“We have worked closely with Lord &
Taylor for most of our 88 years. With the
new ownership, there is more focus and
energy and they truly have a great team. Their
group is always open to new ideas and new
products, and as an example, their buyer was
the first to buy our Echo touch glove.
They’ve also aggressively gone after the silk
business, among other key item trends, all of
which have contributed to their success. They
are completely connected to their customer
and have raised the bar on product,
presentation, assortments and service. They
show our products, both Echo and Lauren,
beautifully and with signage. We couldn’t be
“I love working with the Lord & Taylor
team. They are innovative and forward
thinkers. The remodeling of the store on Fifth
Avenue was a testament to their commitment
to the consumer and driving the fashion
business forward. The shoe department looks
beautiful and the table presentation
showcases and highlights the products with
great lighting and displays. Liz, MaryAnne,
Christine, Robin, David, Brendan and the
entire Lord & Taylor family continue to come
up with new ideas to represent and highlight
—Vince Camuto, Founder and CEO, Camuto Group
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
more proud to support them as a partner;
they are true professionals.”
—Steven Roberts, CEO, The Echo Design Group
“It is a pleasure to work with the Lord
& Taylor team. They are smart, forward
thinking and great partners. The evolution
of their product assortments in the footwear
and accessories areas over the past few years
clearly show a keen understanding of their
consumer and their place in the market. They
have artfully carved out a great space for
themselves.”
—Rick Paterno, Group President, Global Footwear
Wholesale, The Jones Group
“Catherine Stein Designs is proud of our
long-standing partnership with Lord &
Taylor, of over 20 years. They have
supported their new updated image with an
incredibly innovative management team, and a
buyer—Helen Cain—who is constantly striving
to have the newest and best assortment first.
Helen is always challenging us to be our best
and tailor product that is right for the Lord &
Taylor customer.
There is also always an important
differentiation made between our Catherine
Stein trend line and our Stein and Blye
designer groups that are featured in their
store. We look forward to our continued
relationship and congratulate them on being
honored as Retailer of the Year.”
—Sharon Goldberg, VP CSD Division,
Catherine Stein Designs
“Big Buddha loves Lord & Taylor!
I remember meeting Christine Merrick for the
first time about three years ago. She had so
much enthusiasm and support for Big
Buddha. Our business has grown by leaps
and bounds since then and Big Buddha is
very happy to be the primary resource for
quality fast-fashion bags at Lord & Taylor.
Lord & Taylor deserves to be Retailer of the
Year because they took a chance on a new
line and made it work in a big way. The buying
team knows its customer well, carefully editing
their assortment. Liz, MaryAnne, Christine and
Laura are great to work with—they ‘get’ bags.
They have committed to Big Buddha by giving
us lots of floor space and signage, and the
new Fifth Avenue flagship is clean, crisp and
the perfect backdrop for our colorful bags.”
—Jeremy Bassan, President, Big Buddha
“Lord & Taylor’s renovation has infused a
fresh look into their Fifth Avenue store
and attracted a younger, more
contemporary and fashion-forward
customer base. They brought on La Mer
Collections despite our new entry into the
department store marketplace. Lord & Taylor’s
Timepiece buyer Sarah Koch has been
amazing at communicating what her
customers want and allowing La Mer
Collections design and sales team to suggest
styles to meet her assortment needs.
Lord & Taylor’s relationship with La Mer
Collections shows that as a retailer they are
willing to invest in a growing company and
explore a product assortment that’s unique and
diverse, rather than only purchasing large
international brands. They are fashion forward
and sophisticated and are open to new
innovative designers.”
—Martine Ilana, President & Owner, La Mer Collections’
Timepieces
“I have been shopping at Lord & Taylor
my whole life; I am a New York City boy. I
remember going to lunch with my mom
upstairs at the Bird Cage where men and boys
got two desserts! Lord & Taylor always has
and still does feel like an East Coast store with
a New York point of view, where so many
other department stores look interchangeable
Cara Accessories
congratulates
Helen Cain
and the Lord & Taylor Accessories Team
2011 Retailer of the Year
Cära
new york
65 West 36th St., New York, NY 10018 212.268.2825
June 2011/Accessories 56
G-III Apparel Group
G-III Apparel Group Ltd. congratulates
Lord & Taylor’s Retailer of the Year Honorees
LIZ RODBELL, MARYANNE MORIN,
CHRISTINE MERRICK, & ROBIN LEE
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RETAILER OF THE YEAR
and make you feel like you could be anywhere
in the world. The Fifth Avenue renovation is
beautiful, particularly the new jewelry
department. They’ve taken a stand in the
category and highlight each collection to make
it look important.
Helen Cain, my jewelry buyer, is completely
current in her taste and has a special way of
merchandising with a story in mind. Helen has
such incredible experience to draw from; I just
love working with her and Lord & Taylor!”
—Gerard Yosca, Jewelry Designer
“We’ve been long-time partners with
Lord & Taylor in the headwear category.
Like us, as they’ve continued to evolve their
merchandise mix and services, they still hold
onto their original values and have a strong
understanding of their core customer. The
accessories team for both the men’s and
women’s categories are very hands on with
product reviews and keep an open dialog with
us about trend needs that leads to certain
exclusives for their stores.
It’s just this type of relationship that results in
Lord & Taylor’s Fifth Avenue store having one
of the last great hat departments in the city.”
—Douglas Highsmith, President,
Dorfman Pacific
“The Lord & Taylor accessories merchant,
visual and special events teams are one
of the best department store teams to
work with. They clearly know their customer
and how to reach them through edited
product presentations, special promotions and
innovative visual displays. Carolee
congratulates Lord & Taylor on being honored
as Accessories Retailer of the Year.”
—Joel Fivus, President, Carolee
“We really value our partnership with
Lord & Taylor. Each season we exchange
new ideas and collectively put together the
best possible assortment for the Lord &
Taylor customer. The Lord & Taylor
accessories team then enhances the whole
collection with a powerful visual display. It
really works because it is a genuine
partnership”
—Paola Buendia, Designer and Co-Owner,
Wooden Ships
“Lord & Taylor is great because of the
people, first and foremost. They are
committed, strategic, fair and put product
first. They’re professional and focused both
as individuals and as a team, and they are a
Congratulations to
Vanessa Tuason, Christine Lee
& Christine Merrick
and the entire handbag buying team at
2011 Retailer of the Year
39 West 37th Street – 17th Floor
New York, NY 10018
(212) 279-8360
58 Accessories/October 2008
pleasure to work with. Personally, each is also
really cool, which I know is a bit casual to say,
but it’s very true!
As far as merchandising my brand, they use
color to tell stories that change about every
other month—a strategy that has been highly
effective in generating interest and sales for
Chan Luu.
They are always open to our input and they
watch and monitor their business closely in
order to maximize sales. They deserve this
Accessories Retailer of the Year Award because
they are people who come to work with a
purpose and a goal. They have survived for
years in a very competitive retail climate for
many reasons, but chiefly because of people,
people, people.”
—Terry Farley, VP Sales & Marketing, Chan Luu
“Lord & Taylor has built their business
by providing their consumers with a
premium shopping experience,
compelling merchandise and quality
service. Cole Haan is proud to be a part of
their continued success and we congratulate
Brendan and his entire team on being
awarded Accessories Retailer of the Year.”
—Dave McTague, Chief Executive Officer,
Cole Haan
CONGRATULATIONS
LORD & TAYLOR
2011
RETAILER
OF THE YEAR
RETAILER OF THE YEAR
“Lord & Taylor is a great partner because
they take into account that you know
what’s best for your business and they
listen closely, keeping communications
open to discuss any areas of need. If they
believe in a brand they give it good exposure,
signage and opportunity.
With our Vince Camuto sunglass launch in
August 2010, Lord & Taylor was among the first
to eagerly view and receive the collection. They
invested time to understand the Vince Camuto
sunglass brand, gave it prime real estate and
made it happen. The recent renovations in the
sunglass area have also given the product a
higher perceived value.
Colors In Optics has had an excellent
experience working with our
accessories/sunglass buyer Kate Tracy and her
DMM Robin Lee. Liz Rodbell has also been a
pleasure to work with.”
—Rhona Hutton, Vice President, Colors In Optics
“Christine Merrick, Laura Nigro and the
entire handbag buying team are talented
merchants who really know what is going
on in the handbag business and are
always bringing in fresh and new
products to make the Lord & Taylor
customer happy. They do an excellent job
of focusing their assortments, telling the story
in store and supporting it all with great
advertising. They really know their customer
and always remain focused on who she is and
what she wants.”
— Mark Talucci, Co-Founder, The Sak Brand Group
“Lord & Taylor has been a strong
supporter of both the G-Shock and BabyG Brands. They have been tremendous in
their efforts to expand our assortment and
space and location in new and fresh formats.
Maintaining a fluid presentation at the store
front has been instrumental in their growth.
We are excited about the coming years and
our continuous growth with this outstanding
retailer.”
—Jillian Johnson, Director, National Accounts,
Casio America, Inc.
“Nina Footwear has enjoyed a
partnership with Lord & Taylor spanning
many, many years. As we launched our
new Nina Handbags and Nina Bridal
Collection this past February, we asked Liz,
MaryAnne and their teams to come see both
of these exciting new ollections.
The timing of the Nina Bridal Collection
coincided with Lord & Taylor’s push into
bridal. We had already been working with the
women’s footwear team to supply the shoes
for the bridal salons, and when Liz and
MaryAnne saw our Nina Bridal Collection, the
connection was a natural.
What makes Lord & Taylor special is their
ability to take risks in a smart way—to realize a
win-win situation in expanding the Nina brand
within Lord & Taylor into the bridal concept,
and to execute that concept in a timely
fashion.
At the same time (February) the Nina
Handbag collection was launched. As the
evening category leader in shoes, expanding
into Nina handbags seemed logical. Liz,
MaryAnne and the team came down to view
the Nina handbag collection and loved the
product. That ability to make sure the
Nina Handbag product was a perfect fit,
before entertaining launching the line in the
stores, is what makes Lord & Taylor so
strong.
Product drives Lord & Taylor decision
making and we at Nina appreciate that. Liz and
MaryAnne have built terrific buying teams
within shoes, handbags and bridal. That in
itself is a testament to why they should be
selected for Accessories Retailer of the Year!”
—Michael Shirey, President, Nina Footwear
Congratulations
Lord & Taylor
on being named Accessories Magazine
2011 Retailer of the Year
A special thanks to:
Liz Rodbell EVP/Merchandising
MaryAnne Morin SVP/GMM
Christine Merrick DVP/DMM Handbags,
Fashion Jewelry & Watches
Robin Lee DVP/DMM Fashion Accessories
Helen Cain Buyer Fashion Jewelry
Kate Tracy Buyer Fashion Accessories
Your friends at
June 2011/Accessories 59