Jenna Suhl’s Post

The latest on RetailWire ➡ Levi Strauss & Co. has launched a revamped store in Kyoto, Japan, adopting the “NextGen” format aimed at improving the shopping experience. The newly reopened Levi’s store, located in the Teramachi Kyogoku shopping district, occupies a spacious 570 square meters across four levels. This expansion makes it more than double the size of its predecessor, which had just two floors. And this isn’t your typical Levi’s store in any standard shopping center or location. Through a combination of store design layout and locally tailored offerings, it makes a statement and aims to generate more sales from its community and beyond. ⬇ My comments featured below ⬇ "Levis’ localized strategy across the store experience and product mix could be the winning strategy that all retailers need to consider. But Levi’s must have exceptional product obsessed store associates on the shop floor to make this concept successful. I would love to see more retailers take this hyper localized + experiential approach to their stores but I am not sure they would make this investment. They are too concerned with reducing operating costs and most strategies today are reactive. Inventory management is still a top concern and until retailers can get their product assortment in check, their focus will not be innovating their stores." ➡ Checkout the discussion here: https://lnkd.in/eTbCq9qj #retail #retailwire #braintrust #retailnews #levis #stores #technology

“We’re making such a bet on Asia due to the opportunity,” Michelle Gass, president and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. told Inside Retail Asia in a media roundtable in Bangkok. Gass, who took on the CEO role in January, said the company’s three key areas of growth for this market are new stores, same-store sales and e-commerce. Levi’s plans to significantly increase its store number globally over the next five years while growing same-store sales in its existing stores. Nuholt Huisamen, MD for East Asia Pacific at Levi Strauss & Co, explained that the company has taken a new approach in the region, shifting to an ‘owned and operated’ strategy, rather than working with local partners. Full article: https://lnkd.in/gVDUiBWr — Inside Retail Asia: https://insideretail.asia/ Inside Retail US: https://insideretail.us/ Inside Retail Australia: https://lnkd.in/ghHYwQxs Inside Retail New Zealand: https://lnkd.in/gqNrQSHN

We hear a lot about e-commerce, but based on Melissa Repko's latest CNBC article, #GenZ is leading the way to...the mall. Check out our latest blog on retail's future (link in comments) and our video below highlighting Levi Strauss & Co.'s impressive digital entrance at a Singapore location. #customerexperience #instoreexperience #shopping #onlineshopping #experientialmarketing #brickandmortar #moreinstore #entrepreneurthoughts #retail

Here's a great update on NRF 2024: Retail's Big Show Asia Pacific from Paula Macaggi. If you haven't listened to her OFFBounds podcast, you should check it out as well. #innovation #digitalmarketing #marketing #future #branding

👟 The Internationalization of Sneakers and Streetwear Over the last few weeks, we've seen Supreme open up a store in Shanghai, Palace open up a store in Seoul, Atmos open up a store in Manila, and Patta open up a store in Lagos! As someone who used to live in Manila, I was shocked to see the news around Atmos. I've never considered the Philippines a major revenue market for sneaker and streetwear brands, but I quickly realized that's old school thinking. At an international level, the fastest growing economies are in places like Asia and Africa, and a natural progression within an emerging economy is increased purchasing power that will be spent on categories like fashion. China has been an obvious destination for streetwear brands, but I think most people wouldn't always think about Seoul, Manila, or Lagos. If you review the financial statements of companies like Nike or Adidas, a lot of their fastest growing markets are in Asia. For the smaller boutique fashion and streetwear brands, betting on younger, faster-growing populations in places like Asia and Africa makes a lot of sense and is a way to solidify your brand's connection to the local culture. In the pursuit of growth today, you really need to have an international mindset that goes beyond purely Western markets. https://lnkd.in/duYJ7-XP #streetwear #atmos #sneakers #manila #lagos #shanghai #seoul #culture #streetculture #asia #africa

Department store chain Shoppers Stop’s beauty vertical has launched two new boutiques in New Delhi in partnership with American cosmetics company Estée Lauder. The new boutiques – Bobbi Brown and Jo Malone London – are located at Vasant Kunj’s Promenade Mall. Click on the link below to know more... The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. I Jo Malone London I Bobbi Brown Cosmetics I Biju Kassim #newstore #beautybrands #cosmetics #ShoppersStop #retailindustry #retailgrowth #retailing #businessgrowth #Indianretailmarket #retailresults #retailindia #retailupdates #retailsectornews #businessnews  #retailbusiness #ir #IndiaRetailing

No doubt there is still room for flagship store in untapped market but Uniqlo is reaching a saturation point and needs to focus on its comp/same store year on year growth to be sustainable. Today, many of us who own a Uniqlo item tend to have a preference to stick to shopping for a product category and seldom venture into other categories (I.e: challenges in cross selling). Uniqlo has great quality and is comparatively affordable but there is only so many colors you can purchase of an item and the frequency of which you would do so. Flagship stores can only consume profits from other money making outlet if they are not self sustainable thus downplaying the true potential of the brand. https://lnkd.in/dW83WUKr

This fall, I had the opportunity to fulfill my desire to learn more about the luxury industry, beyond handbags and ready-to-wear and the legal lens that I operate from at work, by immersing myself into the luxury industry through the LVMH Certificate Program. The 8-week course covered four modules: 🔹LVMH & The Luxury Industry 🔹Luxury & Society With a specialization in: 🔹Operations & Supply Chain 🔹Retail & Customer Experience Overall, this was an incredible experience to gain a deeper understanding of the luxury industry across various verticals, including wine & spirits, fashion and leather goods, watches & jewelry, fragrance & cosmetics, and selective retailing.

Interesting BOF article on Rimowa, interesting watching and observing their trajectory. "Functional Luxury’: How Rimowa Keeps Growing in a Downturn After quadrupling sales in five years following LVMH’s acquisition, the German luggage maker is seeing continued momentum during rocky times for high-end shopping, including in China. CEO Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert says the brand is focusing on functionality and innovation, including its first push into the handbag category." @simonesterncarbone #simonesterncarbone #BOF "Is @LVMH Playing the Long Game in Functional Luxury? @BoF article on @Rimowa's success got me thinking about LVMH's possible strategy in the functional luxury space. Could the investment in Rimowa and the stake in @Moncler be part of a larger play? Rimowa has been killing it lately: • Sales quadrupled in 5 years 📈 • Double-digit growth even as luxury slows 💼 • Expanding beyond travel into handbags 👜Meanwhile, Moncler continues to dominate in performance outerwear. My speculation: @LVMH might be positioning itself to own functional luxury in both 'vessels' (Rimowa) and 'action' (Moncler). It's not just about looking good anymore. Today's luxury consumer wants products that perform. Rimowa's focus on durability and innovation, and Moncler's technical expertise in outerwear, both tap into this trend.Of course, this is just my theory. But the strength of these brands is undeniable. Rimowa's CEO Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert emphasizes their 'functional luxury' appeal, and it's clearly resonating in the market. What do you think? Is functional luxury the next big thing in high-end retail? #FunctionalLuxury #LuxuryStrategy #LVMH #Rimowa #Moncler"

#ExpansionAlert Delighted to share with my network details about the next big arrival in North Texas - Uniqlo. Iconic for its clothing line, this Japanese firm is set to make its presence felt by opening its stores at two malls in North Texas, a development reported by WFAA. • A quick rundown on Uniqlo: Born in Japan, this clothing company has considerably stretched its small town roots as Ube Industries to open arms to franchising models that have enabled its illustrious journey into the global marketplace. • Rotating Predictions: The entry of Uniqlo into North Texas represents more than just an opportunity to buy new clothes. It signifies two crucial direction pointers for both, industry insiders, and customers. • 1. Potential Retail Boom: Brands like Uniqlo recognizing the significant potential of North Texas for retail may imply an anticipated boom for the local retail industry, driving potential economic growth. It is indeed refreshing; this growth foresight as businesses reconceptualize physical spaces post the outbreak. • 2. Evolving Consumer Behavior: This ties back seamlessly to the increasing consumer preference for high-quality brands reflective of personal style narratives. Definitively, Uniqlo's entry indicates a fair presence of consumers ready to embrace its blend of minimalism and sophistication. • Note to Industry: While we certainly celebrate the expansion of global brands like Uniqlo, this should also be a wake-up call for home-grown brands. The arrival of Uniqlo shows an appetite for international presence in the local marketplace, one which local brands must identify and respond to accordingly. • The intersection of Uniqlo's global growth strategy with North Texas' local retail dynamics shall undoubtedly bring with it a promising, interesting trade narrative. Embodying the spirit of both globalization and localization, will Uniqlo 'sewn well' in North Texas, is the tale to watch out for! Here's looking forward to Uniqlo's exciting new chapter!