Skip to main content

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Can Department Stores Win Over Gen-Z?

Department stores are investing in private label brands, e-commerce offerings and product collaborations to capture younger consumers, but it remains to be seen if the strategy is working.

A recent collaboration between Nordstrom's private-label BP brand and Wildfang. Courtesy.

By

M.C. Nanda

31 August 2021

BoF PROFESSIONAL

In June 2020, Nordstrom was determining how to reopen its stores after months-long closures, facing lessened consumer demand and grappling with ongoing supply chain issues. But when several Nordstrom executives gathered that month, they discussed another issue entirely: the lack of young people shopping at their store.

Please sign in to ensure you can read our agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice. Or get in touch at support@businessoffashion.com if you experience difficulties.

In This Article

Topics

Retail

Organisations

© 2026 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Retail

Analysis and advice from the front lines of the retail transformation.

Is Quince Really Worth $10 Billion?

Is Quince Really Worth $10 Billion?

From $50 cashmere to Dom Pérignon champagne, the everything store for the aspirationally bougie is outrunning the ghosts of DTC past.

Why Strong Retail Sales Aren’t Leading to More Retail Jobs

Why Strong Retail Sales Aren’t Leading to More Retail Jobs

A disappointing US employment report surprised economists and investors, but was old news for the apparel sector, where the labour market has stagnated for years.

BoF Masterclass | The State of Fashion 2026

BoF Masterclass | The State of Fashion 2026

Join us on Tuesday, March 17 at 15:00 GMT / 10:00 EST for the next BoF Professional Masterclass on The State of Fashion 2026.

Pete Nordstrom on the Enduring Power of Retail’s ‘Best Mousetrap’ | The BoF Podcast

Pete Nordstrom on the Enduring Power of Retail’s ‘Best Mousetrap’ | The BoF Podcast

Nordstrom’s co-CEO and president joins Imran Amed to discuss the retailer’s 125-year history, why he believes the department store model still works and how taking the company private is shaping the company’s next chapter.

Latest News & Analysis

Unrivalled, world class journalism across fashion, luxury and beauty industries.

Trump Signs Order to Combat Fraudulent ‘Made in America’ Labels, White House Says

The executive order directs ⁠the FTC chairman to prioritise enforcement of existing laws against sellers and manufacturers who falsely claim products are made in America.

Oil Market Set for Tumultuous Week as Kharg Attack Raises Stakes

Global oil markets face turmoil after a US attack on Iran's main export hub heightened risks to supply across the Middle East.

This Week: The Oscars Bring Red Carpet Season to a Close; Lululemon Adrift

The 98th Academy Awards, and Vanity Fair’s revamped after-party, bring luxury brands’ red-carpet strategies to a crescendo. Plus, Lululemon reports quarterly results with the CEO job still vacant.

The Season That Was: Signals From Fashion’s Front Lines

From the impact of the war in the Middle East to the future of Saks to the Kering conundrum, Imran Amed shares his intel and insight from the trenches of the latest ‘fashion month.’

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

CONNECT WITH US ON

© 2026 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our , , and .