Lord & Taylor, the New York-based division of Hudson’s Bay Co. Ltd. (Toronto), has doubled the square footage of its men’s department to 100,000 square feet, including adding a second floor of selling space.
The expansion is part of a a $40 million renovation of the 625,000-square-foot L&T flagship on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Women’s Wear Daily reports that the ninth floor, which formerly merchandised home products and contained offices, is now home to sportswear and contemporary vendors and an expanded denim assortment. “Denim is one of the largest areas we exploited,” said Wayne Drummond, senior vp and gmm of men’s wear for Lord & Taylor and The Bay.
“Men’s has been a growing business for us for a while,” Liz Rodbell, president and chief merchant of Hudson’s Bay Co., told Women’s Wear. “Our mission was to expand the men’s position on Fifth Avenue and in the market for Lord & Taylor. We’re on a great road and the men’s business is a great opportunity.”
WWD said the floor has a “loftlike feeling and the windows to the outside have been exposed, allowing natural light to spill in.” Drummond said the open feeling and the metal and wood displays are designed to provide a “comfortable, modern experience.
“We have the opportunity to create lifestyle messages now.”
“The loft environment creates a modern feel to the floor and is the mood we wanted to get across,” Rodbell added.
Merchandising touches include tripling the number of mannequins on the floor and highlighting 22 new brands, some with their own brand shops, including John Varvatos Star USA, G-Star, Rogue State, Vince Camuto, Seven Diamonds, Victorinox, Bruun & Stengade, DKNY Jeans, Levi’s, Dockers Alpha Khaki, Guess, True Religion, Grayers, Boss Green and Boss Orange.
Current vendors such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Nautica, Lacoste, Calvin Klein, Perry Ellis, Kenneth Cole, Buffalo David Bitton, Lucky Brand, Superdry, Bench Penguin and Puma also received new shops in the update.