In April 1995, Luxottica purchased U.S. Shoe for $1.4 billion with the goal of acquiring its LensCrafters division; in October 1995, Luxottica spun off the Women's Specialty Retailing Group to a company operated by Luxottica founder Leonardo Del Vecchio and his family, with the company renamed Casual Corner Group.
Its parent company, Ascena Retail Group, announced in May that it planned to wind down Dressbarn and ultimately shut all 650 or so of the women's clothing stores in order to focus on its more profitable brands, like Ann Taylor and Loft.
The "
Wet Seal"
name comes from a comment Huycke made during a fashion show commenting that a model wearing a bathing suit looked like a "
wet seal".
Wet Seal.
| Former Wet Seal headquarters in Foothill Ranch, California |
|---|
| Formerly | Lorne's (1962–1990) |
| Former type | Private |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1962 |
Who owns Catherine's?
Ascena Retail Group
Charming Shoppes
Below is a list of my top ten favorite stores that I know I can count on for trendy plus-size fashion:
- Forever 21. Coming in at number one is – surprise, surprise – none other than Forever 21!
- ASOS.
- Simply Be.
- Old Navy.
- H&M.
- Modcloth.
- Macy's.
- Torrid.
A “fashion bug” is a person who places a lot of emphasis on fashion and is always sure to follow the latest trends. Although the term seems somewhat dated, a more modern interpretation could translate to the term “fashionista,” but that term tends to evoke an image of a fashionable woman who is chic and sophisticated.
New York & Company
| Trade name | Lerner Shops (1918–1992) Lerner New York (1992–2004) New York & Company (2004–present) |
|---|
| Founded | 1918 |
| Headquarters | 330 West 34th Street New York |
| Number of locations | 553 (2011) |
| Key people | Gregory J. Scott, CEO |
It operated
stores under the names Casual Corner,
Petite Sophisticate and August Max Woman brands among others. Casual Corner operated more than 525
stores at its peak.
Casual Corner.
| A former Casual Corner at the El Con Mall in Tucson, AZ (right) |
|---|
| Industry | Retail |
|---|
| Fate | Liquidation |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Defunct | 2005 |
It operated stores under the names Casual Corner, Petite Sophisticate and
August Max Woman brands among others. Casual Corner operated more than 525 stores at its peak.
Casual Corner.
| A former Casual Corner at the El Con Mall in Tucson, AZ (right) |
|---|
| Industry | Retail |
|---|
| Fate | Liquidation |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Defunct | 2005 |
On January 27, 2017, Business Insider and other news outlets reported that Wet Seal was closing all of its stores immediately and terminating all staff and employees, part of an American retail phenomenon of store closures known as the retail apocalypse. It is now operating as an online-only retailer.
Troubled teen retailer Wet Seal LLC is closing all of its stores after it was unable to nail down fresh capital or a buyer. In a letter dated Jan. 20, the retailer notified employees in its Irvine, Calif., headquarters that the office would be permanently closed and all of the workers would lose their jobs.
Wet Seal returned with extended sizing, meaning the retailer is officially back and so much better than ever. Things weren't going so swell for Wet Seal. The retailer filed for bankruptcy for the second time in its history in February 2017, so it looked like consumers would have to bid the brand a final adieu.
In June 2012, Charming Shoppes announced that Fashion Bug stores would be closing; the final stores closed in February 2013. Added Dimensions and The Answer — Two chains which were acquired as part of Catherine's in January, 2000.
Launched in 1998, Arden B was teen retailer Wet Seal's answer to mall chains like Bebe, Guess and Express. Alas, the sexed-up separates brand has breathed its last, with Wet Seal announcing Friday morning that it is shutting down Arden B's operations. The transition should take place by the back-to-school season.
County Seat was an American clothing retailer founded in 1973. With more than 740 stores at its peak, the chain closed in 1999 following Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
In June 2010, the Blink by Wet Seal concept was announced. By 2014, the company had 478 Wet Seal stores and 54 Arden B stores across 48 states and Puerto Rico. In 2014 Wet Seal announced that it would close all the Arden B stores by 2015.
