J.C. Penney poaches designer from Uggs

Dive Brief:

• Khristene Son on Monday began serving as J.C. Penney’s new senior vice president of trend, brand and design, the department store said by email.
• She reports to Chief Merchandising and Supply Chain Officer Michelle Wlazlo, per the announcement.
• Son spent the last five years at Deckers, where she held various design roles at footwear brand Ugg, per her LinkedIn page. Over the years she also had design and content positions at Charlotte Russe, tween brand Justice and Old Navy, among other brands.

Dive Insight:

Unlike department stores including Kohl’s, Macy’s and Nordstrom, which have had to balance the demands of shareholders as they shift their strategies, J.C. Penney is privately owned — mostly by two major landlords that have an interest in keeping its mostly mall-based stores open.

Despite ongoing sales and profit declines and a rough holiday quarter, J.C. Penney remained in the black in 2023. In announcing a $1 billion-plus turnaround plan about a year ago, Penney singled out merchandising upgrades as a key goal.

At the time, the company noted that it “has been at the front lines of private brand development and strategic partnerships that can deliver great quality at a great price,” citing its hire of celebrity stylist Jason Bolden to revamp two of its private labels. The company has also partnered with influencers and fashion designer Prabal Gurung for special collections.

On Tuesday, the company said that Son “brings a unique blend of creative vision and business acumen to JCPenney’s Merchandising team.”

Last year, a little over a third of J.C. Penney’s total net sales came from women’s apparel, footwear and accessories, with another quarter from men’s categories, 18% from home, 14% from handbags, beauty and jewelry, and 9% from toys and children’s apparel, according to financial filings. The company is applying much of its turnaround resources to an emphasis on inclusivity and the working families it sees as its core base.