Is the Gap back?

The long-suffering Gap is generating quite a lot of good buzz these days. It’s pulling out all the stops celebrating its 40th anniversary, from hosting a simultaneous acoustic concert in its stores nationwide to outfitting the traders on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday in jeans from its latest collection. The collection itself, by the way, is part of the celebration: It’s called Gap 1969 Premium Denim Jeans in honor of the chain’s debut year. The jeans, at least the ones I’ve seen, are stylish and fit well -- and they’re priced just right, not value by any means, but an affordable splurge for sure.

Gap also generated some cheer from its second-quarter earnings report, which was slightly above analysts’ estimates and also showed improved margins. On Friday, it was upgraded to "outperform" by FBR Capital Markets and raised to "buy" by KeyBanc Capital Markets.

I’m a realist and I know Gap has a long way to go before it regains its dominance. In fact, it may never do so given how dramatically the playing field changed during the chain’s hibernation. Other, more nimble competitors from the homegrown Aeropostale to the Swedish import H&M, have proved themselves much more adept at responding to customers’ ever-changing fashion sense. But I’m rooting for the Gap, which finally seems to be showing some signs of life. Let’s just hope those green shoots are the real thing, and not crab grass.

What do you think: Is the Gap on the comeback trail?

High-tech ads build buzz at Harrods

Harrods may be the largest department store in London (if not the world), but it’s certainly not one of the hippest. In fact, it’s a bit on the staid side compared with British rival Harvey Nichols & Co. But Harrods is creating plenty of buzz for itself with its newest storefront display: high-tech video ads. The eye-catching video, complete with music, debuted this summer and will run through the end of the year, promoting such brands as Land Rover and Veneto. The display envelops the entire window, and has the ability to potentially do gestural as well as mobile interaction.

The installation was done stateside, by the high-tech wizards at Monster Media, which is based in Orlando, Fla. This is the second time that Harrods reached out to Monster. In October 2008, the company created a LCD-based interactive window that ran footage promoting the premier of “James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace.”

Check out Harrod’s video display for yourself: www.monstermedia.net/portfolio.php?#23

Mixed reviews for Urban Outfitters, Hollister

I stopped at the Menlo Park Mall, in Menlo Park, N.J., a few days ago, to check out one of its newest tenants: Urban Outfitters. The store was rocking, with a relevancy that escapes most chains. It looked fabulous -- and like nothing else in the mall. Urban Outfitters remains unrivaled among specialty retailers for its ability to make each store a unique and compelling destination. Nobody, at least for my money, does it better.

Meanwhile, another teen fave -- Abercrombie & Fitch’s Hollister brand -- made its Manhattan debut with a 40,000-sq.-ft. flagship in SoHo. In keeping with A&F tradition, the store is very, very dark. Pre-opening promotional materials had promised a SoCal-lifestyle driven experience. But with its dark interiors, the store feels more like a worn-in frat house than it does a beach. Sure, there were some cool touches -- most notably, the pier inside the entrance and the wall of flat-screen TVs with live feed of the surf from Huntington Beach, Calif. But overall, I found the new Hollister a pretty gloomy affair. Lighten up, guys. And let the sun shine in.

Christmas in July

It’s only July, but some stores are already full of fall fashion. There is nothing new about rushing the seasons -- it’s been standard procedure for retailers for years now, particularly those of the luxury variety. Still, I was hoping that the economic downturn would inspire merchants to think more like consumers. And in July, most of us are thinking bathing suits, not warm cover-ups.

But if that wasn’t bad enough, the Chicago Tribune reported today that Sears Holdings has opened Christmas decor shops in its stores and also set up “Christmas Lane” boutiques at Sears.com and Kmart.com. While Sears is obviously hoping to get shoppers in the spirit (and a gift-buying mood) early, the strategy also reflects how competitive the upcoming holiday season is likely to be. And just how worried retailers are that shoppers are going to give Scrooge a run for his money this year.

Anyone willing to make any predictions for the upcoming holiday season?

J. C. Penney takes on Manhattan

J. C. Penney is ready for the Big Apple, but is the Big Apple ready for J. C. Penney? The chain is looking to make a big splash when it opens its first-ever store in Manhattan (on July 31, at Manhattan Mall in Herald Square). It’s pulling out all the stops -- and digging into its deep pockets -- to create a memorable first impression with a multimedia advertising and promotional campaign.

J. C. Penney’s Manhattan marketing blitz was detailed today, in an article in The New York Times.

The article reveals that, along with the traditional media advertising, there will be a host of extras, including shopping bags with the letters “NYC” highlighted inside the J. C. Penney name, a unique logo, and customized content on the chain’s Web site (jcpnewstores.com/nyc).

As for the ads, they are done in a tongue-in-cheek style designed to appeal to New Yorkers. Some of the ads also take on Herald Square’s most venerable retail tenant: Macy’s.

“We heard Herald Square needed a good department store,” one ad reads, according to the report.

Recession aside, it will be interesting to see how a chain long associated with middle America fares in the middle of an urban playground, one that also happens to be America’s fashion capital. What do you think -- will J. C. Penney have Big Apple appeal?

Juicy gets intimate

Someone forgot to tell Juicy Couture about the recession. The company launched its new format, an intimate apparel concept called Love G&P, with a store at Las Vegas’ Forum Shops at Caesars Place. (The G&P stands for the first letter in the names of Juicy co-founders Gela Nash-Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy.)

Love G&P has a soft, feminine look that is more toned down and grown up than most Juicy stores. It’s done in cream and pink hues, and has a vintage feel. At a time when some intimate apparel stores have taken on an R-rated cast, Love G&P seems refreshingly old-fashioned, but in the most inviting way possible. Maybe everything old does become new again.

Full-figured women: Attention must be paid

Hurray for Christopher & Banks Corp.! The chain is set to open a new format that will feature merchandise from its nameplate division as well as its plus-sized offshoot, C.J. Banks. The company expects the concept, debuting in Scranton, Pa., will be the prototype for all its new stores. This comes at a time when other retailers, including Ann Taylor, have abandoned larger sizes entirely or, as in the case of Bloomingdale’s, reduced the space allotted to them.

I’ve never understood why mainstream retailers don’t give the plus-sized shopper the attention she deserves (the average American woman, by the way, wears a size 14 according to recent figures). But I’m happy to see that women of a certain size are finally speaking up. The first-ever Full-Figured Fashion Week was held last week in New York City, and it featured a mix of plus-sized fashion shows, panel discussions, and guest appearances from “curvy” celebrities. The attendees included marketing professionals, fashion buyers, designers and plus-sized fashionistas. You don’t have to be thin to love fashion. But that’s something that many retailers (with a few exceptions, including teen fave Torrid) still don’t get.