FASHION : View Posts

NEW YORK- Macy’s (NYSE:M) is encouraging men to have fun with their fashion, introducing a line of slim-fit suits from Dutch label, OppoSuits. The unique suits are brightly colored and boast cheeky, eye-catching prints, providing the perfect option for men who want to show off their fun personalities in a distinctively stylish way.

The suits are sold as a three-piece set, with matching jacket, pants and tie for $99.99. OppoSuits bridge the gap between value, quality and style, offering men a modern, slim-cut suit at an affordable price. What’s more, the striking prints and colors allow wearers to brazenly stand out from the crowd while looking polished.

“Macy’s is always looking for new ways to surprise and delight our customers by providing them the newest and most innovative trends out there,” said Durand Guion, Macy’s vice president and fashion director. “OppoSuits is a vibrant, young brand with a unique point-of-view at an incredible price. We’re excited to introduce our shoppers to a new approach to holiday style which we’re sure they’ll love.”

Originating in Holland, the three-year-old brand quickly made major waves throughout Europe, being sold in high end retailers and specialty boutiques all over the continent. In August, Macy’s was among the first retailers to bring OppoSuits to North America, offering several of their styles on macys.com. Macy’s will expand its offering in mid-October with six additional styles for the holidays, available in 310 stores and online.

The six cheerful holiday styles sport graphic prints of snowflakes, pine trees, snowmen, plaid, reindeer and fair isle, all impeccably rendered with expert tailoring. These suits are the perfect ensemble for the festive celebrations that occur throughout the season. OppoSuits are also highly giftable, sold pre-packaged in an attractive box. Whether given as a gift or worn to one of many holiday soirees, Macy’s is happy to spread joy in suit form with the gleeful collection from OppoSuits.

About Macy’s
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc., delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at approximately 775 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to customers in the U.S. and more than 100 international destinations through its leading online store at macys.com. Via its stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores — including Herald Square in New York City, Union Square in San Francisco, State Street in Chicago, and Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in southern California — are known internationally and are leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving more than $69 million each year to help make a difference in the lives of our customers.

About OppoSuits
OppoSuits is a global menswear apparel brand that was launched by three young entrepreneurs in 2012. Headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, OppoSuits has quickly grown to a multi-million dollar company servicing both consumers and retailers in more than 50 countries around the world. Renowned for designing colorful yet stylish suits, OppoSuits expanded their collection to over forty styles including holiday themed patterns. OppoSuits has grown to a large team of people working in six different countries with, distribution centers in the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Canada.

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Simon, a leading global retail real estate company, has announced the launch of Simon SAID, a lifestyle-focused digital platform delivering editorial content on the best in fashion, beauty, design, culture and food that links back to offerings available at Simon centers nationwide.

“Simon SAID redefines the way the company connects with its millions of shoppers on a daily basis,” said Chidi Achara, Global Creative Director for Simon. “As the Simon brand continues to evolve, we want to reach an ever expanding audience of shoppers who are interested in everything from what’s on-trend today to timeless styles and fashions that suit every generation.”

Simon SAID will tap influencers, bloggers and retail partners to create original content featuring products and offerings, all available at Simon centers. The site, developed by CA Creative, a NYC-based digital and social media agency, will feature curated lists of these tastemakers’ favorite things of the moment— from clothing and accessories, to home decor and food.

Achara continues, “While we are actively redeveloping and upgrading the Simon centers that have become iconic destinations for shopping and socializing, we are also redefining how we speak to our shoppers on-line, and how we support the nearly 4,000 brands and 35,000 stores that call Simon home. All of this is a part of our strategy to meet the 21st century shopper’s needs, whatever and wherever those needs are.”

About Simon
Simon is a global leader in retail real estate ownership, management and development and a S&P100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE:SPG). Our industry-leading retail properties and investments across North America, Europe and Asia provide shopping experiences for millions of consumers every day and generate billions in annual retail sales. For more information, visit simon.com.

NEW YORK- Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) today announced that Stefan Larsson, one of the most successful executives in the fashion industry, has been named Chief Executive Officer. His appointment will become effective in November, at which time he will also join the Ralph Lauren Corporation board. Larsson will report to Ralph Lauren, who will continue to actively drive the company’s vision and strategy as Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer.

Stefan Larsson most recently served as the Global President of Old Navy, a division of Gap Inc. Under his leadership, Old Navy enjoyed three consecutive years of profitable growth, adding $1 billion in sales. Previously, in 15 years at Swedish retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), Larsson was part of the team that grew sales from $3 billion to $17 billion and expanded the company’s operations from 12 to 44 countries.

Ralph Lauren said: “My job is to think always about the future of our company and how to move it forward. Stefan Larsson is exceptionally talented, and he will bring our company a fresh and exciting global perspective. Stefan and I have a strong personal bond and share a vision for the future of Ralph Lauren. I appreciate Stefan’s unique sensibility, his honesty and his authenticity. We have had tremendous success expanding the Ralph Lauren brands around the world and creating a great management team. Now, all the pieces are in place to position our business for continued growth. We have been a leader in our industry for nearly 50 years, and this is just the beginning.”

Stefan Larsson said: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work directly and collaboratively with a fashion giant like Ralph Lauren. His creativity and singular vision have made Ralph Lauren one of the world’s most influential global brands, and I share his dreams for the future. I believe the company has tremendous potential to continue expanding in the global marketplace as it broadens its appeal to all consumers.”
David Lauren, a Ralph Lauren Board Member and Executive Vice President said: “I’m excited to welcome Stefan to our team and I look forward to working closely with him. His commitment and passion to build great brands will be invaluable as we move into the future.”
Positioned for Growth

This announcement follows a number of steps the company has taken in recent years to continue to strengthen its industry leadership, reach new consumers and drive the continued growth of Ralph Lauren Corporation, which last year generated $7.5 billion in sales. In just the past two years, the company, which already boasts some of the world’s most iconic and successful brands, continued to significantly expand its luxury business and added three new brands to its portfolio – Polo for Women, Polo Sport, and Denim and Supply. In addition, Ralph Lauren Corporation has implemented a new global brand management organizational structure and expanded its omnichannel presence to reach new consumers. It has also made important investments in online, mobile and e-commerce to build on its track record of innovation and leadership in technology.
The Company also announced that Jackwyn Nemerov, President and Chief Operating Officer, will retire in November, at which time she will become an advisor to the company. Chris Peterson, President of Global Brands, and Valerie Hermann, President of Luxury Collections, will continue in their current roles reporting to Stefan Larsson.

Ralph Lauren said: “I am deeply grateful to Jacki for her leadership, dedication and tireless commitment to the business and our important customers. Jacki is an extraordinary leader who I respect immensely. She has become a wonderful friend to me and all those fortunate enough to work with her.”

ABOUT RALPH LAUREN CORPORATION
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in four categories: apparel, home, accessories and fragrances. For more than 48 years, Ralph Lauren’s reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company’s brand names, which include Polo Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Collection, Black Label, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Double RL, RLX, Ralph Lauren Childrenswear, Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren, American Living, Chaps and Club Monaco, constitute one of the world’s most widely recognized families of consumer brands. For more information, go to http://investor.ralphlauren.com.

The National Hockey League (NHL®) and adidas today announced a seven-year partnership in which adidas will become the authentic outfitter of on-ice uniforms as well as an official supplier of licensed apparel and headwear for the League starting with the 2017-18 season. adidas Group-owned CCM will remain an official on-ice equipment supplier, delivering world-class product for NHL players, including sticks, skates, helmets, gloves and goaltending gear.

The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), NHL and adidas today also announced a partnership for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in which adidas becomes the exclusive outfitter of both authentic and replica jerseys for the eight-team tournament next September. The 2016 World Cup of Hockey will be played at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto from Sept. 17 to Oct. 1, 2016 and be comprised of eight teams – Team Canada, Team Czech Republic, Team Finland, Team Russia, Team Sweden, Team USA, Team Europe and Team North America. More than 150 NHL players will compete in a best-on-best international hockey championship.

Teaming up with adidas continues our strategy of aligning with major partners who share our vision for growing the game and putting innovation at the forefront of everything we do for our players and fans.

Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner
“As an iconic performance brand with global reach, adidas is the perfect partner for us. With the World Cup of Hockey next year and the launch of our new partnership coinciding with our Centennial Celebration in 2017, there could not be a more appropriate time for us take our longstanding relationship to new heights.”, said Gary Bettman.

adidas will be instrumental in providing leading technology to produce hockey jerseys for the world’s best hockey players, while also serving our growing global fan base with innovative products.

Don Fehr, NHLPA Executive Director
“We look forward to partnering with the creative minds at adidas who collectively share our focus on growing the game of hockey around the world.”, said Don Fehr.

The adidas Group and the NHL have a successful, longstanding relationship through the League’s existing partnership with Reebok. This new partnership allows adidas to leverage its offerings as a leading sports brand and collaborate with one of the world’s most innovative sports leagues. The partnership will allow Reebok to continue to focus on and invest in strengthening its positioning as a leading fitness brand.

As part of its new strategic business plan, adidas is aggressively refocusing its resources to become hyper-relevant in America by increasing its presence in key U.S. sports. With hockey as the leading sport in Canada, this partnership will also drive growth for adidas’ Canadian business.

This partnership with the NHL is evidence of our comprehensive commitment to the athlete.

Mark King, adidas Group North America President
“Adding the league to our growing icon portfolio – which includes premier athletes and U.S. league partnerships across football, basketball and baseball – is just the start for us. Everything we do at adidas focuses on making athletes faster and we’re ready to bring that attitude to the ice. This is an incredible opportunity to get our most innovative performance products on the world’s best hockey players, on and off the ice, and take the game to the next level.”, said Mark King.

The adidas NHL partnership news comes on the heels of adidas announcing the signing of Connor McDavid, the number 1 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. adidas plans to add more top NHL players to its growing roster of professional athletes.

In addition to merchandising rights, the partnership will bring adidas’ high performance training footwear and apparel to the locker room for every NHL team. At all key NHL events, including the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™, the Stanley Cup® Playoffs and the NHL® All-Star Game, adidas will connect with fans through largescale brand activations. To spur growth and excitement in the game, adidas will work side by side with the NHL on a number of grassroots initiatives.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis.- Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) today announced it will unveil the LC Lauren Conrad Runway Collection, an exclusive, limited-edition capsule by Lauren Conrad, during a runway show on Wednesday, September 9. As the chic, vintage-inspired designs make their runway debut, customers across the country will have a front row seat via a shoppable livestream on LCRunway.com. The livestream will feature a special peek at the red carpet, catwalk and behind-the-scenes access, as well as offer viewers the opportunity to purchase pieces from the collection online immediately after the runway show.

“Designing and seeing this capsule collection come to life has been an incredible experience. The aesthetic follows the easy, whimsical style of my Kohl’s brand, but we’ve elevated this collection through amazing fabrications, vintage-inspired pieces and intricate detailing,” said Lauren Conrad. “I am excited to launch LC Lauren Conrad Runway to bring these beautiful, feminine pieces to women across the country and kick start fashion’s biggest week.”

Following Lauren’s signature aesthetic of clean, polished and pretty, the Runway capsule includes styles not yet seen from the LC Lauren Conrad brand like high-waisted trousers, faux fur vests, novelty outerwear, as well as cocktail dresses. Pieces are layered with soft, frosted gray, rose gold metallics and dip-dyed hues of forest green and sage, inspired by the mystery and enchantment of the forest. Sprinkled with Victorian detailing to capture a youthful sense of sophistication, the collection tells a story of a modern day fairytale. Lace, crochet, florals, embellishment, tulle and sequins provide depth and personality to the collection’s dresses, skirts, blouses, jumpsuits, jackets and pants, while supple, pastel leather lends softness to the line’s handbags.

“We are thrilled Lauren has created an elevated yet accessible collection that speaks to the trends of the moment and offers our customers a taste of Fashion Week designer style,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief merchandising and customer officer. “The Runway capsule seamlessly blends high-fashion with looks our customers love from the LC Lauren Conrad brand in wearable, affordable pieces that are sure to be coveted.”

The LC Lauren Conrad Runway Collection includes apparel, shoes, handbags, jewelry and sunglasses for $12 to $200. Each item in the assortment is designed by Lauren Conrad for a collection inspired by her style and will be available for a limited-time in-store and online at Kohls.com.

The LCRunway.com content hub site launches today. Here, customers can get a sneak peek at Lauren and her team as they prepare for Fashion Week through a series of behind-the-scenes, exclusive videos. On September 9 at 7 p.m. EST, customers will have the opportunity to watch the runway show live on the site and purchase their favorite pieces, straight from the runway to their doorstep.

Before the live runway event, tune in to see what’s happening backstage, see who’s wearing what and catch exclusive celebrity interviews as Lauren and a few of her friends share their first-hand experiences using Periscope, a mobile app that streams live video broadcasts to followers around the world. Through the app users can chat and comment live with others watching the stream.

Following the show, the full collection will be available at LCRunway.com and Kohls.com. Select items will also be available in Kohl’s stores through December.

About Kohl’s
Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a leading specialty department store with 1,164 stores in 49 states. With a commitment to inspiring and empowering families to lead fulfilled lives, the company offers amazing national and exclusive brands, incredible savings and inspiring shopping experiences in-store, online at Kohls.com and via mobile devices. Committed to its communities, Kohl’s has raised more than $274 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl’s Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl’s Department Stores, Inc. For additional information about Kohl’s philanthropic and environmental initiatives, visit www.Kohls.com/Cares. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.- The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TJX), the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Trade Secret, an off-price retailer that operates 35 stores in Australia, from Gazal Corporation Limited (ASX: GZL) for a purchase price of AUD$80 million. The potential acquisition of Trade Secret provides TJX an opportunistic entry into Australia, where TJX currently operates one of its 13 buying offices. TJX expects the transaction, which has customary conditions to closing, to be consummated by the end of calendar 2015.

Trade Secret offers branded apparel for women, men and children, as well as footwear, accessories and home fashions at great values. Virtually all of the Trade Secret stores are located in the eastern part of Australia. Trade Secret opened its first store in 1992 and since then, has grown to AUD$164.5 million in revenue for its fiscal year ended June 2015.

Carol Meyrowitz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The TJX Companies, Inc., stated, “We are excited about the anticipated addition of Trade Secret to the TJX family of companies and expanding to another continent, which underscores the strength of our international growth opportunities. TJX is one of the few major U.S. retailers to have expanded successfully in international markets, including Canada and Europe, which gives us confidence in our potential growth in Australia. With consumer demographics similar to Canada, we see Trade Secret as a strong platform to grow in Australia similar to how we entered Canada with our acquisition of Winners in 1990 and grew that business into a leading Canadian retailer. We believe TJX can further develop Trade Secret by leveraging our international leadership experience, buying scale, vendor universe, marketing, and other capabilities. We view Trade Secret as a good fit with our own corporate culture and are looking forward to growing this business for the future.”

About The TJX Companies, Inc.
The TJX Companies, Inc. is the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide. As of May 2, 2015, the end of the Company’s first quarter, the Company operated a total of 3,441 stores in seven countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Poland, and Austria, and three e-commerce sites. These include 1,126 T.J. Maxx, 987 Marshalls, 498 HomeGoods and 6 Sierra Trading Post stores, as well as tjmaxx.com and sierratradingpost.com in the United States; 239 Winners, 97 HomeSense, and 39 Marshalls stores in Canada; and 416 T.K. Maxx and 33 HomeSense stores, as well as tkmaxx.com, in Europe. TJX’s press releases and financial information are also available at tjx.com.

One of the greatest tennis players of all time, Williams reflects on how expectation-breaking Nike ensembles have mirrored her record-breaking career.

When it comes to the intersection of sport and style, Serena Williams champions a simple strategy: “I always say: If you look good, you feel good and you play well.” Based upon the athlete’s record since 2004, when she signed with Nike, the equation is a winning one.

The current number one female tennis player holds 36 major singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles – the highest number amongst active players. She also boasts four gold medals. Her recent championship on the grass of SW19 secured her a second “Serena Slam,” the winning of all four majors in a row. And with a victory in New York City, she’ll tie the record for the most major singles titles collected by a female player.

The style factor of Williams’ equation can also be easily tracked. Soon after Williams became a Nike athlete, she “looked good” and made a stir in 2004 in a denim-inspired skirt paired with a studded black crop top, matching jacket and knee-high black boots. “I was so influenced by Andre Agassi growing up,” she recalls, “watching him wearing jean shorts. I always said, ‘One day, we’re going to have to bring back the jean short.’”

The seminal outfit was merely a prelude to the litany of convention-challenging ensembles Williams would don in the subsequent decade. There was the headline-making white trench, an etched leather vest, full-zip tank and shrunken pink floral shrug-style jacket. Then, there was the graphic “Royal” ensemble with 3-D details, cutout Transform Tank and the leopard-print series, amongst others. In Williams’ own words, “I can’t say that there are one or two style moments that are memorable. I’d have to say there are, like, 20.” Along with naming the gold look from 2004 and the pleated mesh skirt designed in 2005 as amongst her favorites, the champion is particularly fond of the wardrobe that has accompanied her 2015 wins.

“This year [Nike and I] celebrated the beauty of power and strength: how you can be both at the same time. We wanted to show the beauty of a woman’s back. The outfits I wore really celebrated that: the woman’s silhouette. They were just really unique – bold, but yet really beautiful.”

As a whole, Williams’ Nike archive could be labeled “high risk,” an attribute often associated with her play. In both cases, the risk has clearly been worth the reward. Williams’ style influence has transcended the courts, landing her in the front row of fashion shows and on covers of the world’s most prestigious fashion magazines, which celebrate the athlete’s ability to communicate externally the strength, beauty and confidence she cultivates internally.

“I like to express who I am. I love to push the envelope, but I also love that classic silhouette,” Williams explains. “I love that perfect mix between trendy and classic. We always have that perfect balance.”

The athlete’s show-stealing synthesis will resurface shortly in New York City, where Williams will debut new signature on- and off-court looks that embody the flair she hopes to leverage into match points. “It’s obviously my goal to win the tournament, but more than anything to hold my title,” she confirms. “I have so much fun there – and I have so much fun winning there.”

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis., – Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) announced a partnership with actress and fitness enthusiast, Shay Mitchell, on a brand new capsule collection of athleisure apparel launching exclusively at Kohl’s this back-to-school season. Aptly named Fit to Wander™, the brand essence and design ideology celebrates taking life by the bootstraps, getting lost with every adventure, and challenging yourself to step outside your comfort zone.

“The Fit to Wander™ line speaks to my personal philosophy of embracing all that life has to offer and being the best you can be, whatever your passions,” says Mitchell. “I’m thrilled to share that philosophy with Kohl’s customers looking for apparel that fits their lifestyle.” From boot camp to brunch, the Fit to Wander™ athleisure collection offers girls and young women great fit and style. Each garment includes positive affirmations and quotes printed inside to inspire wearers.

“The Fit to Wander™ collection embodies Shay’s adventurous spirit and fashion savvy.” says Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief merchandising and customer officer. “With Shay’s help, we are proud to introduce this inspirational and affordable collection and make it easy for Kohl’s customers to create a versatile, sporty look that’s all their own.”

With prices ranging from $24 to $48, the Fit to Wander™ assortment includes sports bras, graphic tees, fashion tanks and leggings and hopes to motivate girls and young women to be bold and wander a bit, while getting fit. The Fit to Wander™ line includes leggings with an adjustable waistband that can be worn up high for more coverage or folded over for a low-rise look, strategic seams and panels that flatter in all the right places, extended bust band on the bras to reduce garment shifting or chafing during all activities, racerback straps that offer a full range of motion, and arm holes that are designed to offer just the right amount of coverage. All leggings and sports bras in the collection are made in the Fit to Wander™ signature fabric, Wandertech™, a poly/spandex blend with sweat wicking and a 4-way stretch. All other fabrics used in the collection (baby French terry, cotton/rayon) are blended to offer ultra-comfort, drape and softness.

The Fit to Wander™ collection is available now in select Kohl’s stores and on Kohls.com. About Kohl’s Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a leading specialty department store with 1,164 stores in 49 states. With a commitment to inspiring and empowering families to lead fulfilled lives, the company offers amazing national and exclusive brands, incredible savings and inspiring shopping experiences in-store, online at Kohls.com and via mobile devices.

Committed to its communities, Kohl’s has raised more than $274 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl’s Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl’s Department Stores, Inc. For additional information about Kohl’s philanthropic and environmental initiatives,

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TJX), the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Trade Secret, an off-price retailer that operates 35 stores in Australia, from Gazal Corporation Limited (ASX: GZL) for a purchase price of AUD$80 million. The potential acquisition of Trade Secret provides TJX an opportunistic entry into Australia, where TJX currently operates one of its 13 buying offices. TJX expects the transaction, which has customary conditions to closing, to be consummated by the end of calendar 2015.

Trade Secret offers branded apparel for women, men and children, as well as footwear, accessories and home fashions at great values. Virtually all of the Trade Secret stores are located in the eastern part of Australia. Trade Secret opened its first store in 1992 and since then, has grown to AUD$164.5 million in revenue for its fiscal year ended June 2015.

Carol Meyrowitz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The TJX Companies, Inc., stated, “We are excited about the anticipated addition of Trade Secret to the TJX family of companies and expanding to another continent, which underscores the strength of our international growth opportunities. TJX is one of the few major U.S. retailers to have expanded successfully in international markets, including Canada and Europe, which gives us confidence in our potential growth in Australia. With consumer demographics similar to Canada, we see Trade Secret as a strong platform to grow in Australia similar to how we entered Canada with our acquisition of Winners in 1990 and grew that business into a leading Canadian retailer. We believe TJX can further develop Trade Secret by leveraging our international leadership experience, buying scale, vendor universe, marketing, and other capabilities. We view Trade Secret as a good fit with our own corporate culture and are looking forward to growing this business for the future.”

About The TJX Companies, Inc.
The TJX Companies, Inc. is the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide. As of May 2, 2015, the end of the Company’s first quarter, the Company operated a total of 3,441 stores in seven countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Poland, and Austria, and three e-commerce sites. These include 1,126 T.J. Maxx, 987 Marshalls, 498 HomeGoods and 6 Sierra Trading Post stores, as well as tjmaxx.com and sierratradingpost.com in the United States; 239 Winners, 97 HomeSense, and 39 Marshalls stores in Canada; and 416 T.K. Maxx and 33 HomeSense stores, as well as tkmaxx.com, in Europe. TJX’s press releases and financial information are also available at tjx.com.

The adidas Group and runtastic GmbH today announced that adidas AG has acquired all outstanding shares of runtastic GmbH. The transaction values Runtastic at an enterprise value of € 220 million.

In line with the Group’s strategic business plan ‘Creating the New’, this acquisition reinforces the adidas Group’s commitment to inspire and enable athletes of all levels to harness the power of sport in their lives. Runtastic’s vision for 2020 that every individual lives a more aware and active lifestyle leading to a longer, happier life means the adidas Group has found a perfect partner that fully understands the potential of the convergence of sport, digital and data in an always connected and always on-demand world.

The adidas brand was the first in the industry to comprehensively bring data analytics to the athlete. With decades of continuous investment in sports science, sensor technology, wearables and digital communication platforms, there is no other sports company that has done more to innovate sports and change the game through technology. adidas’ variety of digitally enabled products such as balls, wrist devices, apparel, shoes, web and phone apps goes unmatched. No other sports company has the diversity of sports and fitness activity coverage and understanding of data related to athletes’ physiology and motion in play – from pro athletes, world record holders, professional sports and college teams to athletes of all levels right down to kids in gym class.

Combining Runtastic’s and the adidas Group’s capabilities brings the adidas Group in a prime position to unleash its knowledge of sport. Runtastic’s fast pace, dynamism and high energy will speed up the adidas Group’s ability to reach both partners’ combined vision to make sport inspiring and part of everyone’s lives – creating unexpected sports experiences that will resonate and clearly stand out in a crowded and constantly changing landscape.

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Pasching near Linz, Austria, Runtastic has shown tremendous growth in a short period of time. With more than 140 million downloads and around 70 million registered users, Runtastic has a strong and unique industry position. Available in 18 languages, Runtastic is already one of the most diverse global players in the health and fitness app market, operating a multi-app strategy with over 20 apps covering a wide variety of endurance, health and fitness activities. Through a highly engaged and active user base, the company has already established solid revenue and earnings streams. With high user satisfaction, an impressive pipeline of innovative concepts and relentless speed to market, momentum is expected to remain robust in the coming years.

With 50.1% ownership, Axel Springer SE through its subsidiary Axel Springer Digital Ventures GmbH was the major shareholder of runtastic GmbH. Other main shareholders were Austrian business angel Dr. Johann Hansmann and company founders Florian Gschwandtner, Alfred Luger, René Giretzlehner and Christian Kaar who will continue to run Runtastic within the adidas Group.

Digital technologies are providing new capabilities and insights to help athletes of all levels take control of their sporting destiny – whether improving their performance, sharing their experiences, or creating their own great social moments of sport.
HERBERT HAINER, CEO OF THE ADIDAS GROUP
“This investment will add considerable value on our journey to deliver new world-class sports experiences. In addition, it offers the opportunity to grow a highly engaged athlete user base and leverage the power of our broad product portfolio. Therefore, I am very happy to welcome Runtastic’s passionate employees and their 70 million active athletes and sports lovers to the adidas Group family.”

adidas is the perfect strategic partner for Runtastic and we are very eager to leverage our business in new and unique ways in the future.
FLORIAN GSCHWANDTNER, RUNTASTIC CEO AND CO-FOUNDER
“By bringing cutting-edge input from our leading position in the digital space to one of the great world leaders in the sports and fitness industry, I am personally looking forward to pleasing and surprising new and loyal users with the best products in the world. Together, we will make exceptional and unexpected things happen.”

Signing and closing of the transaction have both taken place simultaneously, today. In connection with the transaction, Deutsche Bank is acting as financial advisor to the adidas Group, and Ashurst LLP and Schoenherr are serving as legal counsel. Allen & Company LLC is acting as financial advisor to Runtastic and Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP and 42law are serving as legal counsel.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -Yahoo!, Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) and Polyvore, Inc. announced today that they have reached a definitive agreement for Yahoo to acquire Polyvore, a leading social shopping site. The acquisition will enhance Yahoo’s consumer and advertiser offerings — Polyvore will strengthen Yahoo’s digital magazines and verticals through the incorporation of community and commerce, and together Yahoo and Polyvore will power native shopping ads that drive traffic and sales to retailers. Broadly, Polyvore will accelerate Yahoo’s Mavens growth strategy (mobile, video, native, social) through its strong offerings in social, native, and mobile.

“I’m also excited that we’ll be able to deliver more scale to our advertisers by integrating our ad offerings into Yahoo Gemini.”

On Polyvore, users put together sets of clothing, accessories, and lifestyle goods that express their love for style and shopping in a compelling, digital, social setting. In addition to natural integrations with Yahoo Style and Yahoo Beauty, Polyvore’s strong media experience, where community-powered content is curated and actionable for shoppers, will enhance the full portfolio of Yahoo’s digital magazines and verticals. When it comes to advertising, Polyvore’s technology will bring a proven native ad model, new compelling native ad formats, and strong advertising relationships with more than 350 retailers to Yahoo’s fast-growing native advertising platform, Yahoo Gemini.

“Polyvore has built an excellent team, a category leading product, and a strong business based on a highly engaged community,” said Simon Khalaf, Yahoo’s SVP of Publisher Products. “The combination of Yahoo’s industry-leading digital content with Polyvore’s expertise in community and commerce has outstanding potential. We are thrilled to have the Polyvore team join us.”

“I’m delighted to join Yahoo. Our core mission of empowering people to feel good about their style will remain the same, but with Yahoo’s help we’ll be able to make Polyvore even bigger and better for our user community,” said Jess Lee, Co-Founder and CEO, Polyvore. “I’m also excited that we’ll be able to deliver more scale to our advertisers by integrating our ad offerings into Yahoo Gemini.”

Following the closing of the acquisition, Polyvore products and services will continue to operate. With Yahoo’s support and investment, we expect Polyvore to continue to delight its community, while introducing Polyvore’s expertise on community, commerce, and rich native ads across the Yahoo network. The Polyvore team will join respective Yahoo offices in Sunnyvale, San Francisco and New York and Polyvore Co-Founder and CEO Jess Lee will report directly to Simon Khalaf.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

About Polyvore
Polyvore is a shopping site where you can give and get styling ideas from the world’s largest style community. Polyvore provides brands and retailers a way to connect with influential consumers and drive sales through native advertising solutions. Polyvore is venture-backed and has offices in Mountain View, San Francisco and New York. For more info, visit www.polyvore.com.

About Yahoo
Yahoo is a guide focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining our users. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses. Yahoo is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, and has offices located throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific (APAC) and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the Company’s blog (yahoo.tumblr.com).

DALLAS, Texas, – Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. announced today that it has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of its common stock. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or
jurisdiction.

Don’t let their sundresses fool you – it’s safe to say fashionistas everywhere are already ticking off the days until the year’s most stylish season of all: Fall. Fueling that excitement? Target’s announcement that it’ll be going mad for plaid by paying homage to a fan-favorite, brisk-weather pattern as only Target could – with an epic. plaid. takeover.

Like the pattern itself, Target’s crossing lines all over the place, bringing tartan touches to everything from home goods and must-have fashion for the entire family to plaid Diet Coke bottles, shampoo bottles, ChapStick tubes, dog leashes, bandages, paper towels…the list goes on to include more than 360 items you’ll definitely want to “check” out.

Still not sold that you’ll be okay saying so long to summer? Well, this nugget might push you over the edge: To help herald in its fall plaid takeover, Target tapped designer Adam Lippes to create more than 50 items inspired by buffalo plaid for the Adam Lippes for Target collection of apparel, accessories, pet goods and home furnishings. Trust us – you’ll want to mark your calendars for this one.

EXTRA! Read more from designer Adam Lippes : expand panel
We caught up with Kathee Tesija, executive vice president and chief merchandising and supply chain officer, Target, to learn more about this plaid-palooza:

Out of so many patterns Target could’ve chosen — why plaid?
When we started to think about fall, we knew we wanted to do something special, something that would usher in the season in a way that only Target could. Plaid has been a defining element of style for every generation, and we felt it would be the perfect centerpiece for this design moment: it can be both fun and fashionable, so it offered us a lot of flexibility as we thought through ways we could bring it to life for our guests.

What is your expectation for this plaid bonanza?
We’ve had so much fun working on this concept, and it’s been amazing to watch it build from a seed of an idea to a program that will canvas an entire Target store. My hope is that our guests have as much fun shopping these products as we’ve had developing the concept. There’s also an element of surprise that I think guests will experience as they travel from aisle to aisle. I can’t wait to be in the store with them to see how they react to those fun touches, like plaid diapers or mouthwash.

What’s your favorite plaid product?
What I love about this concept is that guests will find the expected, like fashion and home items, done in a way that we think will wow them, alongside the unexpected, like paper towels, Coke bottles and a Fitbit, that will surprise them in a way that only Target can. I always have a hard time picking a favorite product. Let’s just say that I’ve got my eye on a few absolute must-haves and there will be no shortage of plaid in my home and closet this fall!

Target’s plaid takeover begins in August and will continue through October. Prices range from $1.99-$179.99, and availability in stores and on Target.com will vary.

TORONTO – June 15, 2015 – Hudson’s Bay Company (TSX:HBC) (“HBC” or the “Company”) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with METRO AG (DB:MEO) to acquire Galeria Holding (“Kaufhof”), the parent company of Germany’s #1 department store Kaufhof, for an enterprise value of €2.420 billion (C$3.357 billion)(1). The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is currently expected to close by the end of the third fiscal quarter of 2015.

HBC also announced today that it has concurrently entered into an agreement in principle with Simon Property Group (“Simon”) pursuant to which the previously announced U.S. real estate joint venture between HBC and Simon (the “Simon-HBC JV”) intends to purchase at least 40 of Kaufhof’s owned or partially-owned properties (“Kaufhof Real Estate Transaction”) for at least €2.4 billion (C$3.3 billion), subject to definitive documentation, securing acceptable debt financing and certain other conditions.

The Kaufhof acquisition price is expected to be largely financed by proceeds received from the Kaufhof Real Estate Transaction and, as a result, HBC does not intend to issue equity and expects to incur limited additional debt at HBC. See “Financing Summary” further below.

The contemplated transactions are expected to be significantly accretive to HBC’s earnings per share without requiring any synergies. HBC expects to generate more than C$200 million(2) of incremental Adjusted EBITDA and reduce leverage, pro forma for the Kaufhof acquisition and the Kaufhof Real Estate Transaction, as well as the previously announced joint venture transactions.

With the Kaufhof transactions, HBC is building a premier international retailer with, on a pro forma basis:

464 locations in 4 countries with 8 leading banners;
C$13 billion in revenue;
C$1.5 billion in Adjusted EBITDAR(3);
More than C$754 million in Adjusted EBITDA(2,3);
C$11 billion(4) in real estate value; and
Strong management teams leading each business in North America and Europe.
Mr. Richard Baker, Governor and Executive Chairman of HBC, said: “These are exciting transactions that demonstrate our proven growth formula in action: improving solid retail operations, unlocking the value of real estate and growing through acquisitions. This is the right investment at the right time. We have been carefully surveying the European retail landscape for many years for a potential expansion opportunity and have watched Kaufhof build on its exceptional real estate to become the #1 department store in Germany. We are excited to work with the existing Kaufhof management team, bring our expertise to bear in the German retail sector and welcome Kaufhof to our portfolio of dynamic brands.”

#1 Department Store in Germany and Belgium with Exceptional Locations

Kaufhof is the #1 German department store by market share, with 103 Galeria Kaufhof locations and 16 Sportarena stores. Kaufhof also operates Belgium’s only department store with 16 Galeria INNO locations across the country. Kaufhof has exceptional store locations on high-streets in densely populated and prosperous cities throughout Germany, the largest economy in Europe and fourth largest in the world, and in prime locations across Belgium. For the twelve month period ended March 31, 2015, Kaufhof generated sales of €3.1 billion and Normalized EBITDA of €282 million.

Kaufhof’s management is expected to remain in place following the closing of the acquisition providing separate management teams for each business in North America and Europe, with each fully focused on their respective businesses. Kaufhof will be overseen by Richard Baker, Jerry Storch and Donald Watros, and will work closely with HBC’s leadership to explore opportunities to further strengthen Kaufhof’s offerings to consumers.

Creation of a Global Platform which Positions HBC for Future Growth in Europe

Jerry Storch, CEO of HBC, said: “This acquisition is a significant step forward in our plans to become a premier international retailer. With Kaufhof, we will operate eight leading banners in Canada, the United States, Germany and Belgium. Expanding our footprint into Europe with Kaufhof also provides us with a strong foundation to explore to explore additional opportunities for growth throughout the Continent.”

When Kaufhof is combined with HBC’s current portfolio of iconic store banners, including Hudson’s Bay, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks OFF 5TH and Home Outfitters, HBC will operate 464 stores with approximately 44% of sales generated in United States, 31% in Germany, 23% in Canada and 2% in Belgium. HBC will also have a strong and growing eCommerce platform, supporting best-in-class, all-channel sales opportunities.

Significant Value Creation for HBC Shareholders: No Equity Issuance by HBC, De-levering of HBC, and Significantly Accretive to EPS

Mr. Richard Baker added: “These transactions have the potential to deliver significant value to our shareholders. The anticipated sale of more than 40 prime Kaufhof properties to the Simon-HBC JV should allow HBC to generate significant incremental Adjusted EBITDA, while issuing no equity and incurring limited additional debt at HBC.”

Pro Forma for the transactions:

HBC is expected to generate incremental Adjusted EBITDA of more than C$200 million(2,3) and does not intend to issue equity and expects to incur limited additional debt at HBC(5);
HBC’s leverage is expected to decrease pro forma for the Kaufhof acquisition and Kaufhof Real Estate Transaction, as well as the joint venture transactions;
Assuming the transactions close as contemplated, the transactions are expected to be immediately accretive to EPS without requiring synergies;
The transactions increase the value of HBC’s real estate portfolio to C$11 billion(4); and
Any proceeds from the Kaufhof Real Estate Transaction in excess of the Kaufhof purchase price will be reinvested in the Simon-HBC JV.
Financing Summary

HBC has received aggregate term loan B commitments of approximately US$3.250 billion (C$4.001 billion) from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., RBC Capital Markets, and Scotiabank to fund the Kaufhof acquisition purchase price and expected transaction costs, as well as to refinance the existing US$650 million (C$800 million) senior term loan B.

HBC does not currently expect to utilize the large majority of the term loan B commitments. Instead, HBC currently intends to use the proceeds from the anticipated Kaufhof Real Estate Transaction to largely fund the cash purchase price of the Kaufhof acquisition and expected transaction costs. HBC intends to reinvest any excess proceeds in the Simon-HBC JV.

The Simon-HBC JV currently intends to finance the Kaufhof Real Estate Transaction with:

A real estate term loan secured by at least 40 Kaufhof properties;
Additional debt secured by the Saks and Lord & Taylor properties that the Simon-HBC JV will own;
US$179 million (C$220 million) from Simon as per its prior equity commitment to the Simon-HBC JV;
New investment from HBC using any excess proceeds from the Kaufhof Real Estate Transaction; and
Up to US$600 million (C$739 million) in equity from third-parties or additional equity from HBC (in which case HBC would draw on its term loan B commitments).
HBC expects to retain a 65% to 85% interest in the Simon-HBC JV, depending on its investment, if necessary, in the Simon-HBC JV, which would be financed using its term loan B commitments.

Continues HBC’s Track Record of Improving Retail Operations and Unlocking Real Estate Value

The acquisition of Kaufhof and anticipated sale of at least 40 Kaufhof properties to the Simon-HBC JV represents another milestone in HBC’s strategy of unlocking real estate value while strengthening its operating business and its balance sheet.

In Canada, this strategy has included the sale of the Zellers’ leases for C$1.8 billion, the sale and leaseback of HBC’s flagship Queen Street property for C$650 million, and the anticipated sale of up to 10 HBC properties to the RioCan-HBC JV for C$1.7 billion.

In the United States, this strategy has included the acquisitions of Lord & Taylor for US$1.2 billion and Saks for US$2.9 billion followed by the US$3.7 billion independent appraisal of Saks’ flagship property in New York (to support the US$1.25 billion mortgage on the ground portion of the property), and the anticipated sale of 42 Saks and L&T properties to the Simon-HBC JV for US$1.7 billion.

In addition to surfacing significant shareholder value from its extensive real estate holdings, the HBC management team has demonstrated an ability to improve retail operations by consistently generating positive same-store-sales and sales-per-square-foot growth, maintaining stable gross margins and building a world-class all-channel experience through HBC Digital.

ABOUT HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY
Hudson’s Bay Company, founded in 1670, is North America’s oldest company. Today, HBC offers customers a range of retailing categories and shopping experiences primarily in the United States and Canada. Our leading banners – Hudson’s Bay, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH – offer a compelling assortment of apparel, accessories, shoes, beauty and home merchandise. Hudson’s Bay is Canada’s most prominent department store with 90 full-line locations, two outlet stores and thebay.com. Lord & Taylor operates 50 full-line locations primarily in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic U.S., four Lord & Taylor outlet locations and lordandtaylor.com. Saks Fifth Avenue, one of the world’s pre-eminent luxury specialty retailers, comprises 39 U.S. stores, five international licensed stores and saks.com. OFF 5TH offers value-oriented merchandise through 83 U.S. stores and saksoff5th.com. The Company also operates Home Outfitters, Canada’s largest kitchen, bed and bath specialty superstore with 67 locations. Hudson’s Bay Company trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “HBC”.

NEW YORK– P&G Fabric Care’s brand Tide Pods has partnered with actress and model Maritza Rodriguez to demonstrate washable garments can be fashionable…even on the red carpet. Rodriguez sported a fully washable runway look, a Black Razor Dress from designer Giles Deacon, at the People en Español “Los 50 Más Bellos” Gala that took place this past Tuesday, May 12th in NY.

Deacon, who is also P&G Fabric Care’s Global Fashion Consultant, designed the innovative piece to resemble the look and feel of leather but constructed it with washable fabrics including lycra, polyester and nylon. “In my design process, I not only conceptualise the look and feel of the garment but I also focus on the durability of the fabric and the long-term use that the piece will have. I look forward to seeing the washable fashion trend embraced on a large scale, giving consumers better control of how they care for their clothes,” said Deacon.

The Tide Pods® Washable Fashion Initiative came to life as a response to the continuing demand for washable garments and increased consumer appetite for designer fashions. The initiative, which is supported by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), also aims to educate the fashion industry about the benefits and possibilities of creating more designer fashions using machine-washable fabrics.

“I am very excited to be collaborating with Tide Pods for its Washable Fashion Initiative,” said Rodriguez. “Tide Pods is making the care and preservation of garments, both designer as well as everyday looks, easier than ever before which is very important to women like me who want their favorite garments in their closet ready to wear, not at the dry-cleaners. So, I can definitely appreciate the concept of a runway garment made from washable fabrics that looks and feels fantastic, yet can be cared for at home,” she added.

Tide Pods®, the three-chambered single-dose laundry detergent that cleans, brightens and fights stains, is perfect for caring for washable garments at home thanks to its outstanding cleaning power and consistent results in every wash. The pods were designed, after over eight years of consumer research, to make the laundry process simpler and less time-consuming.

“As a brand, we are proud to see how the Washable Fashion Initiative has evolved and is helping redefine what fabric care means for consumers,” said Karen Schlosser, Associate Brand Director for P&G Fabric Care. “We have been following the fashion and fabric trends coming down the catwalks to inspire the development of new fabric care technologies to support these future fabrics, and it is great to see how these come to life, with Maritza wearing it in a real-life setting.”

About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves nearly five billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, Wella® and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About Tide®
For over 65 years, Tide® has been caring for the clothes of American families and helping to provide the everyday miracle of clean clothing. To meet consumers’ diverse laundry needs, Tide offers its cleaning in a variety of products including the Tide Pods® collection, the Tide Plus collection and Tide Simply Clean and Fresh. For consumers’ on-the-go stain removal needs, Tide to Go helps remove fresh food and drink stains on the spot. Visit www.tide.com for helpful product information, practical tips on laundry care, special offers and promotions and more. You can become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Tide.

About Giles Deacon
Giles Deacon is a celebrated fashion designer renowned the world over for his playful, show-stopping designs. After graduating from London’s Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in 1992, Giles chose to travel and gain experiences at different fashion houses. He spent two years working with French fashion designer Jean Charles De Castelbajac before returning to London to work for a number of High Street fashion houses. It was during this time that Giles met the owner of Bottega Veneta, and from 1998 until 2002 Giles was the head designer at Bottega Veneta and the Gucci Group. In 2004, Deacon launched his own label GILES at London Fashion week to international acclaim. His collection received numerous awards including “British Designer of the Year” at the British Fashion Awards in 2006 and the prestigious French ANDAM Fashion Award in 2009. GILES celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2014.

London/Rotterdam – Unilever announced today that it has acquired leading independent prestige skincare brand, Kate Somerville Skincare LLC.

Founded by Los Angeles-based Kate Somerville, the brand is one of the most trusted names in the premium US skincare market. Featuring unique Active Balance Technology™ that combines advanced active ingredients with natural botanicals, Kate Somerville’s products are known for their innovation and performance. The brand is distributed through prestige retailers in the United States, and has a growing footprint in Asia.

Vasiliki Petrou, Unilever SVP Prestige Brands, says: “We are excited to be adding Kate Somerville to the Unilever Prestige personal care portfolio. The most photographed faces in Hollywood trust Kate Somerville Skincare for its high quality ingredients, proven results and touch of glamour. It is a highly differentiated brand that is well placed in the dermocosmetic segment of the skin care category.”

“In recent years Kate Somerville Skincare has also made inroads into the fast growing Asian market, with successful launches in several countries across the region. We believe it has exciting growth potential and look forward to bringing its breakthrough products to new markets. Its premium positioning effectively complements our existing portfolio,” explains Petrou.

Kate Somerville, Founder, adds: “I’m extremely proud of everything we’ve accomplished to make Kate Somerville Skincare into the company it is today. Our treatments such as Exfolikate and Dermal Quench have become tried-and-true customer favourites. Unilever shares our commitment to quality, innovation and bringing consumers the best possible products. Its scale and long history building iconic brands makes Unilever the perfect partner in the next stage of our journey and I’m confident it will take Kate Somerville Skincare to even greater heights.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

NEW YORK, – ANN INC., the parent Company of Ann Taylor, LOFT, and Lou & Grey, and Vital Voices Global Partnership are proud to announce the 2015 ANNpower Fellows.

The incoming class of 2015 ANNpower Fellows come from 29 states and Puerto Rico, and have demonstrated a commitment to creating positive change in their communities. These 50 young women represent a diverse group who aspire to build cross-cultural exchange, inspire engagement in the arts and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), advance critical conversations on health issues, or combat serious societal issues. An example is Amanda, a high school junior, who hopes to tackle low literacy rates in her community by implementing a program for disadvantaged youth. She plans to teach writing, reading and spoken-word poetry to youth to increase literacy skills while also raising awareness for social justice in her hometown of Los Angeles. Meet Amanda and all of the 2015 ANNpower Fellows by visiting ANNpower.org.

“This year’s ANNpower Fellows represent an exceptional group of young women,” said Kay Krill, President and CEO of ANN INC. “They are breaking down barriers, redefining societal roles and paving the way for real impact in our communities. ANN INC. is thrilled to invest in these women to help unlock their potential and empower them to become our future leaders.”

In January 2015, Ann Taylor and LOFT launched a nationwide campaign in-stores and online to identify the next generation of global trailblazers and invite them to apply to become ANNpower Fellows. With an unprecedented level of competition this year, ANN INC., in partnership with Vital Voices, selected 50 accomplished young women, all current high school sophomores and juniors, to become ANNpower Fellows. Fellows will participate in the 2015 ANNpower Vital Voices Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C., June 14-17.

During the Leadership Forum, the Fellows will participate in three days of comprehensive leadership training and mentorship. The young women will meet and be mentored by influential and celebrated women leaders in business, politics and media from across the globe, as well as executives from ANN INC., including the Company’s President and CEO, Kay Krill. Using the knowledge and tools gained at the Forum, Fellows will implement innovative community projects that will move the needle on important issues at the local and national level.

“Each year, we are inspired and energized by the talented young women selected to join the ANNpower Initiative. Our program affords these girls a unique opportunity to develop their own leadership skills and learn from women leaders in the Vital Voices network and ANN INC. senior leadership. These incredible young leaders use this opportunity to create sustainable change in their own communities and make their mark on the world,” said Vital Voices President and CEO, Alyse Nelson.

Following the ANNpower Leadership Forum, the Fellows will return to their communities to implement their projects. Each Fellow will be eligible to receive an ANNpower Project Grant to put her ideas into action. To date, ANNpower Fellows have positively impacted 45,000 people in 15 countries around the world.

To learn more about the ANNpower Initiative, visit ANNpower.org.

About the ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative
The ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative is a groundbreaking partnership between ANN INC. and Vital Voices Global Partnership to empower young women from across the U.S. with the leadership skills they need to affect global progress, invest in their communities and begin their journeys as the next generation of leaders. The ANNpower Initiative aims to provide leadership skills and mentorship to 50 ANNpower Fellows annually and is designed to positively impact more than 5,500 people in their collective communities and around the world each year. Visit annpower.org for more information.

About ANN INC.
ANN INC. is the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, two of the leading women’s specialty retail fashion brands in North America. As of January 31, 2015, the Company operated 1,030 Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Factory, LOFT, LOFT Outlet and Lou & Grey stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. Our Ann Taylor and LOFT brands are also available online in more than 100 countries worldwide at AnnTaylor.com and LOFT.com or at our LOFT franchise stores in Mexico. Visit ANNINC.com for more information (NYSE: ANN).

About Vital Voices Global Partnership
Vital Voices Global Partnership is a leading non-governmental organization that identifies, invests in and brings visibility to extraordinary women around the world by unleashing their leadership potential to transform lives and accelerate peace and prosperity in their communities. Founded by Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 1997, the organization trains and mentors women leaders as agents of transformative change in economic development, human rights and political participation. The Vital Voices Global Leadership Network includes more than 14,000 leaders representing 144 countries who have trained and mentored 500,000 additional women and girls in their communities. Visit vitalvoices.org to learn more.

MAHWAH, N.J. and NEW YORK, May 18, 2015 – ascena retail group, inc. (NASDAQ: ASNA) and ANN INC. (NYSE: ANN) today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which ascena will acquire ANN INC. for a combination of cash and stock in an accretive transaction.

Upon closing, ANN INC. stockholders will receive $37.34 in cash and 0.68 of a share of ascena common stock in exchange for each share of ANN common stock. Based upon the closing price of ascena stock on May 15, 2015, this implies a price per share of $47.00, a 21.4% premium over the closing price of ANN shares on Friday, May 15, 2015. At closing, ANN stockholders will own approximately 16% of ascena.

The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, is expected to close in the second half of 2015, subject to customary closing conditions, including, among other things: the expiration or early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and approval of the merger by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of ANN. The transaction does not require approval by ascena stockholders.

David Jaffe, ascena’s President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “This powerful transaction joins two strong and highly complementary organizations and management teams and dramatically reinforces our leadership position in women’s specialty apparel retailing. We are excited to further leverage our uniquely capable operating platform and exceptional combined talent to drive immediate, significant and ongoing value for our stockholders. With the addition of the Ann Taylor and LOFT brands, ascena will become one of North America’s largest and most diversified specialty apparel retailers, with a tremendous set of opportunities to continue to expand its leadership position in the women’s apparel market.”

ascena has identified $150 million in annualized run rate synergies in the combination that it expects to generate over a three-year period. The transaction aligns seamlessly with ascena’s platform strategy and shared services model, designed to enable an effective, rapid and comprehensive back office integration process. Synergies include sourcing and procurement, distribution, logistics and other efficiencies. Excluding transaction and integration expenses, the acquisition is expected to be significantly accretive to EPS in the first year post closing, accelerating to greater than 20% accretion to EPS thereafter. Additionally, ascena expects the combination to generate significant cash flow while both maintaining appropriate levels of capital expenditures and enabling rapid deleveraging.

Ronald Hovsepian, Non-Executive Chairman of ANN INC.’s Board of Directors, said, “Based on our Board’s thorough and wide-ranging review process, we are confident that this agreement with ascena is in the best interests of ANN INC.’s stockholders. Our stockholders will receive approximately 80% of the purchase price in cash, providing immediate and certain value, and also have the opportunity to participate in the upside of the combined company as a result of the stock portion of the purchase price. We are delighted with this outcome for ANN INC.’s stockholders.”

Kay Krill, President and Chief Executive Officer of ANN INC., added, “I am very proud of all we have accomplished and confident that combining with ascena is the right next step for ANN INC. The transaction will make us part of a larger organization with a diversified portfolio of brands focused on the women’s apparel market, a strong operating platform and a powerful financial base. I have tremendous respect and admiration for ascena’s CEO David Jaffe, and our management team and I look forward to working alongside him and other senior members of the ascena team. As a member of the ascena family, ANN will be poised to further enhance and grow our business as we continue to take steps to better strategically and operationally position our brands for the dynamics that are redefining the landscape of the women’s specialty retailing industry. At the same time, we look forward to continuing to meet our clients’ wardrobing needs by delivering great product and a seamless brand experience across our multiple touchpoints.”

Transaction Details

Under the terms of the transaction, upon closing, ANN INC. stockholders will receive $37.34 in cash and 0.68 of a share of ascena common stock for each share of ANN INC. common stock, implying a price per share of $47.00 based on the closing price of ascena stock on May 15, 2015. The transaction gives ANN INC. an enterprise value of approximately $2.0 billion.

ascena intends to finance the acquisition through bank debt. Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Guggenheim Securities have arranged committed financing for the transaction.

Guggenheim Securities and Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as financial advisors to ascena. Proskauer Rose LLP acted as legal counsel to ascena in connection with the transaction. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as the exclusive financial advisor to ANN in connection with the strategic review process and the transaction. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz acted as legal counsel to ANN INC. in connection with the strategic review process and the transaction.

About ascena retail group, inc.
ascena retail group, inc. is a leading specialty retailer offering clothing, shoes, and accessories for missy and plus-size women under the Lane Bryant, Cacique, maurices, dressbarn and Catherines brands; and for tween girls under the Justice brand. ascena Retail Group, Inc. operates through its subsidiaries approximately 3,900 stores throughout the United States and Canada.

About ANN INC.
ANN INC. is the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, two of the leading women’s specialty retail fashion brands in North America. As of January 31, 2015, the Company operated 1,030 Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Factory, LOFT, LOFT Outlet and Lou & Grey stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. The Company’s Ann Taylor and LOFT brands are also available online in more than 100 countries worldwide at AnnTaylor.com and LOFT.com or at our LOFT franchise stores in Mexico.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction, ascena intends to file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement of ANN that also constitutes a prospectus of ascena. Investors and security holders are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed with the SEC, when they become available, because they will contain important information about the proposed transaction.

Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these documents, when they become available, and other documents filed with the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by ascena by contacting ascena Investor Relations at (551) 777-6895, or by e-mail at asc-ascenainvestorrelations@ascenaretail.com. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by ANN by contacting ANN Investor Relations at (212) 541-3445, or by e-mail at investor_relations@ANNinc.com.

ascena and ANN and their respective directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information about ascena’s directors and executive officers is available in ascena’s proxy statement for its 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders filed with the SEC on November 3, 2014. Information about directors and executive officers of ANN is available in the proxy statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of ANN filed with the SEC on April 2, 2015. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC regarding the Merger when they become available. Investors should read the proxy statement/prospectus carefully when it becomes available before making any voting or investment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these documents from ascena or ANN using the sources indicated above.

This document and the information contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

New Look and Brait SE (“Brait”) announce that an agreement has been reached whereby Brait will acquire a c.90% interest in New Look Retail Group Limited (“New Look” or “the Company”) for c.£780 million, primarily from funds advised by Apax Partners and Permira (“the Acquisition”). The Singh family interests and the current management of the Company will acquire the remaining 10% of the Company. Anders Kristiansen, New Look’s CEO, Mike Iddon (CFO) and Roger Wightman (CCO) will remain with the Company. The transaction places an Enterprise Value on New Look of c.£1.9 billion.

Over the past 11 years, under the Apax and Permira Funds’ ownership, New Look has gone through a significant transformation and is now the leading fast fashion retailer in the UK for the under 35s with more than 800 stores worldwide. New Look is attractive to Brait for the following reasons:

Double digit EBITDA growth in recent years;
Solid cash flow generation;
Established UK footprint in the higher growth value segment of the apparel and accessories market;
Leading UK market value share; No. 2 overall womenswear and No. 1 in under-25s womenswear;
Strong growth prospects in France, Germany, Poland and especially China which is a priority market;
Strong brand awareness in particular amongst women in the UK;
Well-developed multi-channel offering via traditional stores and a fast growing e-commerce platform incorporating ‘click and collect’ options;
Well-invested infrastructure and systems including a state-of-the-art distribution centre
The scale and efficiency of New Look’s fast fashion operating model from source to customer (via shop-floor or e-commerce) is difficult to replicate; and
Partnering with an experienced, aligned and proven management team, and with the founder of the business.
New Look has net financial debt of c.£1 billion. Brait and New Look’s management are comfortable with the company’s current leverage ratio given its strong cash flow generation. Subject to market conditions, the Company will review financing alternatives in order to optimise the capital structure within the same leverage range.

Brait will fund the Purchase Consideration using available facilities and cash on hand.

Commenting on this transaction, Anders Kristiansen, CEO of New Look said:

“We are delighted to have announced this transaction. Brait have a track record of long-term and supportive investments – they give us the perfect platform to continue our strategy of growing the New Look brand in the UK, Europe and China. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our existing shareholders for their support over the years, and I am looking forward to working with Brait in the future.”

John Gnodde, CEO of Brait added:
“New Look is an attractive investment opportunity for Brait – it is a market leading brand, with a strong track record of double digit EBITDA growth, solid Cashflow conversion, international reach, and the potential to grow rapidly in a number of geographic markets including China. We have been highly impressed with the management team and look forward to partnering with them.”

Paul Mason, Chairman of New Look added:
“This is an ideal outcome for New Look. The Brait team demonstrated to us that they have the long-term vision to help Anders and the team grow this brand.”

Martin Halusa, Chairman of Apax Partners said:
“Funds advised by Apax Partners and Permira are glad to have accompanied New Look on its international expansion and ecommerce growth and delivered substantial returns to its investors. We would like to thank Anders Kristiansen and his team for their work in driving this strategy successfully.”

Mike Garland, Partner at Permira added:
“After 11 years of successful partnership, the New Look brand is stronger than ever and the company’s ecommerce and international operations are showing significant growth. We are very pleased with what we have achieved together and wish the New Look management team every success for the future.”

New Look was advised by Goldman Sachs International, JP Morgan Cazenove, Clifford Chance and Price Waterhouse Cooper on this transaction.

Enquiries

New Look
Tulchan Communications
Tom Buchanan / Will Smith
+44 (0)20 7353 4200

Brait
John Gnodde
+27 (0) 11 507 1000

Apax Partners
Alex Wessendorff
+44 (0)20 7872 6461

Permira
Noemie de Andia
+44 (0)20 7632 1159

Notes to Editors

About New Look
Founded in 1969, New Look has grown from a single store to become a dynamic, international, multichannel retail brand with a unique value-fashion offer in apparel, footwear and accessories for women, men and teenage girls. New Look is the No. 2 value retailer for women’s clothing and accessories market in the UK (source: Kantar Worldpanel for year to March 2015). The New Look Group has over 800 stores across the globe in 21 countries, including 19 in China and our estate of 569 UK stores places New Look in immediate reach of the majority of the British population.

About Brait
Brait is an investment holding company focused on driving sustainable long-term growth and value creation in its investment portfolio of sizeable unlisted businesses operating in the broad consumer sector. Brait recently announced the acquisition of Virgin Active.

About Apax
Apax Partners is one of the world’s leading private equity investment groups. It operates globally and has more than 30 years of investing experience. Apax Partners has advised funds that total over $40 billion around the world in aggregate. Funds advised by Apax invest in companies across four global sectors of Tech & Telco, Services, Healthcare and Consumer.

About Permira
Permira is an international private equity firm. Founded in 1985, the firm advises funds with a total committed capital of approximately €25 billion. Since 1985 the Permira funds have made over 200 private equity investments with a focus on driving transformation to build better businesses. Permira specialises in five key sectors: Consumer, Financial Services, Healthcare, Industrials and Technology. The Permira funds have a long track record of successfully investing in consumer companies around the world including Dr. Martens, Atrium, Hugo Boss, Valentino, Galaxy Entertainment, Akindo Sushiro, iglo group and Maxeda. Since 1997, the Permira funds have invested €6.7bn in 24 consumer companies.

NEW YORK– Revlon, Inc. (NYSE:REV) (“Revlon”) today announced that it has acquired CBBeauty. Founded by Corrado Brondi in 2011, CBBeauty is a global fragrance management company based in the U.K. The acquisition also included the U.K. distributor, SAS & Company.

CBBeauty distributes and markets perfumes and beauty products under the One Direction brand in more than 80 countries around the world and provides international sales, marketing and strategic services to a select number of celebrity and fashion fragrance brands.

SAS & Company distributes and markets perfumes and beauty products from a portfolio of leading brands such as Burberry, Carven, One Direction and Rihanna. SAS is also the fragrance licensee for U.K. artists such as Little Mix and Cheryl. CBBeauty and SAS will operate as an independently managed division within Revlon, under the continued leadership of Corrado Brondi as CEO of CBBeauty. Shelley Smyth will continue in this new division as CEO of SAS & Company.

Commenting on Revlon’s acquisition of CBBeauty and SAS & Company, Revlon President and CEO, Lorenzo Delpani, said, “As we continue to focus on our Strategy of Value Creation to boldly grow Revlon, we are confident that this acquisition will provide us with a business and people platform for significant growth in the global fragrance business.”

“Revlon’s acquisition of CBBeauty marks the beginning of a very exciting future for the business model we have created,” said Mr. Brondi. “We are thrilled to partner with Revlon’s team to accelerate the growth of our business, by leveraging Revlon’s significant capabilities and resources, while keeping an independent management and remaining true to our motto “big enough to matter and small enough to care.”

“We are delighted to join Revlon, a company that will complement SAS & Company’s existing expertise in distribution and in product development for beauty and fragrances,” said Ms. Smyth.

About Revlon:
Revlon is a global cosmetics, hair color, hair care and hair treatments, beauty tools, men’s grooming products, anti-perspirant deodorants, fragrances, skincare, and other beauty care products company, which operates in two segments, the consumer division (“Consumer”) and the professional division (“Professional”). CEO Lorenzo Delpani’s vision is to establish Revlon as the quintessential and most innovative beauty company in the world by offering products that make consumers feel attractive and beautiful. Revlon believes that its global brand name recognition, product quality, R&D, innovation and marketing experience have enabled it to create leading global consumer and professional brands. Revlon’s Consumer segment global brand portfolio includes Revlon® color cosmetics, Almay® color cosmetics, SinfulColors® color cosmetics, Pure Ice® color cosmetics, Revlon ColorSilk® hair color, Revlon® Beauty Tools, Charlie® fragrances, and Mitchum® anti-perspirant deodorants. Revlon’s Professional segment global brand portfolio includes: Revlon Professional®, CND®, including CND Shellac® and CND Vinylux® nail polishes, and American Crew® men’s grooming products. Websites featuring current product and promotional information can be reached at www.revlon.com, www.almay.com, www.mitchum.com, www.revlonprofessional.com, www.americancrew.com and www.cnd.com.

About CBBeauty:
CBBeauty is a manufacturer and distributor of designer and celebrity fragrances, cosmetics and skincare products. Acting as a long-term brand builder, CBBeauty works alongside a strong international network of distributors and retailers in prestige distribution reaching 20,000 points of sales in over 80 markets. CBBeauty’s vision is to provide brands with the focus, creativity, flexibility and personal touch of a small dedicated team with the reach and connections of a large global company. CBBeauty can implement business models tailor-made to the needs of each brand, including international or regional distribution, licensing, joint venture, global advisor, and agent and service provider. CBBeauty’s brands include Our Moment by One Direction, which was the largest celebrity fragrance launch and the biggest female launch in most markets in 2013. Additional information regarding CBBeauty can be reached at www.cbbeauty.com.

About SAS & Company:
Founded in 2010 by Shelley Smyth, SAS & Company is a distributor of fragrance, cosmetics, skincare and personal care products focusing on the U.K. and Ireland. In 2014 SAS Licences was born under the SAS & Company umbrella to develop and manufacture brands including Stormflower by Cheryl, launched in 2014, and the first perfume of the U.K. band Little Mix, which is scheduled to be launched in fall 2015. SAS & Company’s ultimate goal is to build brands in conjunction with brand owners to deliver long-term success. The SAS & Company team includes a highly professional and experienced group of individuals within the fragrance and beauty category, all of whom are focused on delivering excellence. Each brand partner within the SAS & Company portfolio has a dedicated marketing team devoted to the management and development of their respective brands. For further information on SAS & Company please visit www.sasandcompany.com.