Upping the Ante: Urban Outfitters to Sell Wedding Dresses

Oh, you fancy, huh?

Yup, like J. Crew successfully did, Urban is launching a new line of wedding wear called BHLDN ("beholden"). Wedding dresses will go for $1000 to $4000 and event dresses for $200-$600.

Read all about it here.

Urban Outfitters FAIL

Did Urban Outfitters not learn anything from the whole GAP fiasco?

Urban Outfitters takes a considerable design misstep with their newest website redesign that resembles something created in Microsoft WordArt.

UGH.

Urban Outfitters targets the uber-cool

While flipping through the latest issue of apartamento magazine, I stumbled upon an Urban Outfitters print ad. Lately, I've seen them pop up in a range of niche, creatively-minded pubs that cater to much older audiences. Assume it's an effort to maintain that aspirational/urban shopper even as the brand expands to malls and teens go wild for it.

Urban Outfitters skins NYC store to look like NYC

NYC - now overrun with chain store - doesn't look like it used to. To remind kids of the good old days, Urban Outfitters is skinning a new Upper West Side location to resemble bodegas and other 'authentic' establishments. It's meant to be an ironic take on old-school NYC...huh? This has already been done by J Crew as well as Target; curious to see the execution.

Urban Outfitters develops mobile POS system

Urban Outfitters has announced the development of a mobile POS system using iPod touch. The app will be platform/OS-independent and integrate with inventory management systems to increase store efficiency and reduce costs. It's like the Apple store only better (given the amount of product).

This will decentralize the transaction, provide new marketing opportunities and personalize the service experience. So you like that Hurley shirt you saw in Nylon? Let's check for other colors, match it with some Bullhead jeans, find a store with in-stocks, and pre-pay...right here and now.

Mobile is the true glue between platforms, and certainly something to think about for PacSun. US retailers have been slow on the uptake with retail technology, but I imagine that will change rapidly in the years ahead.