Alicia Esposito

Levi Strauss & Co. has appointed Gianluca Flore as its new EVP and Chief Commercial Officer. Flore will report directly to President and CEO Michelle Gass

Louisa Serene Schneider did not set out to be a CEO, let alone a founder. But inspiration struck while she was working for a retail-focused hedge fund and realized the lack of safe piercing options for consumers.

JLL Retail Property Management has introduced a new virtual shopper agent named Cindy, designed to make the online experience more relevant and engaging at 13 of its shopping centers across the U.S. In addition to spotlighting the center’s sales and deals, Cindy gives consumers details on the latest fashion trends, acting as their exclusive “shopping bestie.”

Footwear brand Kizik partnered with MG2 on a pop-up concept in New York City’s SoHo to gauge market demand. The people have obviously spoken, because the brand has decided to extend the pop-up through Memorial Day. Originally slated to run for one weekend (April 19-21), the Greene Street pop-up is the first physical manifestation of […]

Americans spent $136.8 billion on their pets in 2022, up from $123.6 billion in 2021, according to the American Pet Products Association. Half of these pet-owning households are run by millennials and Gen Zers, who don’t just look at their pets as “furry friends” but as their children.

The Emoji Company GmbH is partnering with UNIS Technology Ltd. on a new emoji-branded entertainment concept that brings retail and entertainment together. The venture into physical experiences will elevate the emoji brand’s already significant global presence, which is driven by a rights portfolio of 1,000 trademarks, more than 20,000 brand icons and designs and more than 1,400 licensing partners, including Burger King, L’Oréal and Puma.

For the fifth year, Ebay is awarding $500,000 to small businesses with its Up & Running Grants program. The company will select 50 U.S.-based Ebay sellers that will each receive $10,000 grants to pay for tools and resources to grow their small businesses. Ebay also is offering each recipient $500 stipends that sellers can use to purchase educational courses and office technology through Ebay Refurbished.

VISIONS Summit: NYC is a forum for up-to-the-minute discourse around the impact of commerce on American culture. This half-day event, hosted by the Future Commerce editorial team, features a mix of keynote presentations, fireside chats, and moderated panel discussions with culture innovators across disciplines: media, creative arts, brand building, and technology.

Bubble Skincare has launched a new collaborative collection with Disney and Pixar to celebrate the release of Inside Out 2, which opens exclusively in theaters on June 14. The collection, which includes cleansers, moisturizers, serums and three -step routine bundles, is available on the brand’s ecommerce site and will roll out across Ulta Beauty and Walmart stores through June.

The Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) affiliated with the beauty retailer, is committing more than $3 million this year to nonprofit partners focused on the mental health and well-being of women and teens. The foundation’s mission is to reaffirm Ulta Beauty’s stance that beauty and wellness are intrinsically linked to mental health and emotional well-being.