PLANO Tex. – J.C. Penney Co. Inc., seeking to focus on consumer lifestyles and expand its private labels, will roll out a new women’s brand called E. 5th in September that offers clean, classic styling for what the chain’s executives view as an underserved niche.
The traditional career line will include pants, pant suits, blouses, jackets and sweaters retailing from $22 to $68 in all of Penney’s 1,019 stores, as well as in catalogues and on the company’s Web site. Officials did not set a volume goal for the brand, but Liz Sweney, executive vice president and general merchandise manager for women’s apparel, said it was expected to be among the retailer’s top five women’s brands in two or three years.
It is part of an overall effort to make an “emotional connection” with shoppers, Ken Hicks, Penney’s president and chief merchandising officer, said Tuesday during the company’s annual two-day conference for Wall Street analysts at headquarters here.
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