Gilly Hicks has found his new happy place. He’s in Columbus, Ohio.
The underwear brand, part of the Abercrombie & Fitch family, will open a permanent physical store Thursday at the city’s Easton Town Center. To help celebrate, Gilly Hicks is giving away $ 100,000 to some buyers who will soon be much happier. It is also adding gender neutral options to the assortment in an attempt to capitalize on the growing markets for lingerie and loungewear.
Gilly Hicks is expanding her variety of gender-neutral underwear options. Courtesy photo
Kristin Scott, global brand president, Abercrombie & Fitch Co., said in a statement: “The brand is celebrating a new purpose focused on helping Gen Z, who are the most stressed generation, find their happy place with a focus on renewed in wellness and mindfulness. The new product, the digital experience, the stores and our recent investments in talent further demonstrate our commitment to Gilly as a key part of our company’s long-term growth strategy. ”
From now until July 31, consumers in North America and the UK can leave a comment on Gilly Hicks’ Instagram page, sharing what leads them to his happy place. Examples can be a person, a place, or a thing, or even a feeling. Gilly Hicks will award five participants $ 20,000 each to spend on “whatever makes their happy place come true,” the company said.
The campaign is part of Gilly Hicks’ larger transformation strategy, which includes an updated assortment and fleet of stores, its own website, a new Instagram identifier, and an expanded team in product, planning, design and marketing departments. by Gilly Hicks.
The new permanent store is located at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio and will serve as a test run for future stores.
“This store is a testament to our culture of testing and learning,” said a company representative. “We look forward to seeing how it resonates with our customers as it will help inform future decisions of the global store.”
Gilly Hicks has 25 adjoining locations next to Hollister stores and 60 stores within stores globally, or separate Gilly Hicks areas within Hollister stores, all of which are scheduled to be updated in the short term.
Also on Thursday, Gilly Hicks unveiled its latest additions to the assortment, including gender neutral underwear, loungewear and sportswear (over 100 items) and a new fabric called ‘Future Stretch’. Gilly Hicks products range in size from XXS to XXL. The Future Stretch collection accommodates “a variety of body types,” according to a company representative.
Fans of the brand can find products at Gilly Hicks and Hollister stores, as well as at gillyhicks.com and hollisterco.com.
The Gilly Hicks brand was launched in 2008, under the Abercrombie umbrella, which includes the Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids and Hollister brands, but it failed to capture consumer interest. The brand closed in 2013. Then, in 2017, Abercrombie reintroduced Gilly, selling it in Hollister stores, as well as two separate locations: Honolulu and Garden City, New York. Since then, the stores have closed. Two years later, Gilly Hicks launched four temporary pop-up stores.
Meanwhile, parent company Abercrombie managed to turn a profit of nearly $ 42 million in the most recent quarter. Abercrombie & Fitch, the largest brand, closed its flagship in London as part of the company’s multi-year strategy to ditch flagships. A smaller store on Regent Street is expected to open sometime in the second half of the year.
The company launched its fifth brand, called Social Tourist, in May. The brand, which was co-created by TikTok personalities and sisters Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, features fashions that can be found in trends on social media platforms and is intended to be a reflection of the Generation experience. Z, or buyers who have come of age in a digital world.
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