The Marc Jacobs fashion label is worth an estimated $5 million, but up to this point the brand had no e-commerce store of its own. The top American fashion designer’s lack of online retail until now is actually more interesting than the recent news that marcjacobs.com will begin selling clothes this September. In any other industry, just now breaking into e-commerce would be totally unheard of, ironic, inexcusable and perplexing.

Mango, Barcelona’s sexy answer to H&M, will soon have a new home in the US in the most unlikely of places: JC Penney. JC Penney Co. has made an agreement with the European retailer to sell exclusive merchandise (under the brand name MNG by Mango) via mini-stores. The partnership is part of JCP’s attempt to [...]

Steve Madden Ltd. hopes to add another notch to its proverbial belt by foraying into the world of ready-to-wear women’s apparel. The as-yet-unnamed line will be available in various department stores in spring 2010 and has as licensing partner L’Koral, which has among its repertoire 7 For All Mankind and Elizabeth & James. In the [...]

Tearing a page directly out of Target’s handbook for success, the execs at Macy’s have decided to create a diffusion line — but for men, which few mass-market retailers have done before. The line, called Thread & Heirs, will have guest designers each season and officially launches next year, with Ruffian designers Brian Wolk and [...]