NewsonWomen: Women in Business, Women Entrepreneurs, Women in the News

Women in Fashion - Sharleen Ernster Lazear made Chief Design Officer at Guess?

Guess? Inc. (NYSE: GES) appointed Sharleen Ernster Lazear Chief Design Officer. Sharleen had been the Executive Vice President of Design at Victoria's Secret. Read more in the prnewswire press release.

Fashion Resale - The RealReal, the online luxury resale site founded by Julie Wainwright, raised $14 million in Series B funding.

The RealReal, the online luxury resale site founded by Julie Wainwright who is also CEO of the company, raised $14 million in Series B funding led by InterWest Partners. Julie has been a CEO for over 10 years; she helped pioneer e-commerce as the CEO of Reel.com in 1997 and Pets.com in 1999. Read more in the prnewswire press release. Watch Julie talk about how the business world has changed during her years as a CEO.

Made in America - Rebecca Smith hires Working Moms and American Craftsmen to make her Luxory Bags and Accessories.

Rebecca Smith, Founder and CEO of Rebecca Ray Designs, incorporates her love of sportsmanship into her luxury leather handbags, accessories and home decor products. Rebecca Ray Designs products are made in America by skilled craftsmen, and reflect Rebecca's love of the vintage feel of America in the early 20th century.

Rebecca began her career as a handbag and accessory designer quite by accident.  After a very fulfilling career in the non-profit world, she was looking for something as an artistic outlet. Rebecca holds a Master's in Education but she was always an artist at heart! She is a collector and loves to forage and create.  On a whim, she started using her own antique collections of textiles, jewelry and images to create handbags that were as much art as they were utilitarian. When people started trying to buy the handbags right off her arms while she was grocery shopping, she realized she might be on to something. Rebecca’s husband, Derek, encouraged her to pursue the notion of turning the artistic process into a company.  She decided to enter a women's entrepreneurial product contest in the magazine Country Living, and her designs were selected as a winner. At that point, she realized that she needed to turn the bag designs into a real company.

Rebecca found that Rebecca Ray Designs allowed her to embrace all the artistic things she loved to do. She named the company Rebecca Ray, as R.A.Y. are her maiden initials and they spell out her father’s name. He has always encouraged both Rebecca and her brother to create and own their own companies, which they have both done. Rebecca never anticipated her small cottage industry would become so large and well branded throughout the country, available in over 300 fine retail locations.

Being a woman and a mother herself, it was always a goal of Rebecca’s to employ like-minded women. According to Rebecca “I have always found that women working for women understand each other - it is like an unspoken mantra. By the very nature of what we do everyday, women have to be multi-taskers who above all else, get the job done.  I think that women bring a can-do, cooperative ability to the workplace that is often driven by the concept that things just have to get done and we ask questions - often challenging and changing age-old paradigms in the process.”

Michelle Landgrebe made EVP, General Merchandising Manager of bebe stores "2b" division.

bebe stores, inc. (NASDAQ: BEBE) appointed Michelle Landgrebe Executive Vice President, General Merchandising Manager of their "2b" division. Michelle had been Vice President, General Merchandising Manager at VFSLA, part of the VF Corporation. Read more in the Business Wire press release. 

Hillary Super Made Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager for GUESS?

GUESS? Inc. (NYSE: GES) appointed Hillary Super Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager for GUESS?. Hillary had been with American Eagle and at Gap. Read more in the prnewswire press release.

Women in Fashion - Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts talks about Social Media, Brand Strategy and working with Burberry's Christopher Bailey.

Courtney Colavita, Worldwide Director of Social Media for Gucci, talks about "Social Merchandising"

Katrina Glusac Made Chief Merchandising Officer at bebe stores inc.

bebe stores, inc. (NASDAQ: BEBE) appointed Katrina Glusac Chief Merchandising Officer. Amy had been Chief Merchant and VP of Merchandising at ShoeDazzle.com, and before that Divisional VP and GMM of Guess?. Read more in the Business Wire press release.

Olga Vidisheva, Founder and CEO of Shoptiques, believes in being Unique and Different. Watch Olga tell how she started her company.

Julie Bornstein, New Chief Marketing Officer at Sephora, talks about Social Media, Digital Marketing and the Importance of Mobile.

One Kings Lane Co-Founder Susan Feldman Talks to Fashion Designer Rachel Roy about Starting a Business

Videdressing, co-founded by CEO Meryl Job, Raises $6 million in Funding.

Videdressing, the fashion social marketplace co-founded by Meryl Job who is also CEO of the company, raised $6 million in new funding. Meryl had previously been a Product Manager at Chanel. Read more about the deal on techcrunch.com.

Leadership Tips from Retail CEO's

Julep, founded by Jane Park, Raises $10 Million in Funding led By Andreessen Horowitz

Julep Beauty Inc, founded by Jane Park who is also the company's CEO, raised $10.3 million in Series B funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. Jane, who holds a JD from Yale Law School, is a former Starbucks Executive. Padma Rao, who led marketing at online gaming company Zynga, is on the company's Board of Directors. Read more about the deal in the company press release.

Watch Jane Park talk about founding Julep.

 

Amy Zehrer Made Executive Vice President of Stores at Abercrombie & Fitch.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF) appointed Amy Zehrer Executive Vice President, Stores. Amy had been a Senior Vice President at Abercrombie. Read more in the Business Wire press release.

Former Wal-Mart Exec Linda Hefner Filler Made President of Claire's North America for Ckaire's Stores.

Claire's Stores, Inc., the specialty retailer of jewelry and accessories for young women and teens, appointed Linda Hefner Filler President of Claire's North America. Linda had been Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer for Sam's Club at Wal-Mart. Read more in the prnewswire press release.

Williams-Sonoma CEO Laura J. Alber Joins RealD Inc. Board of Directors

RealD Inc. (NYSE: RLD), a global licensor of 3D technologies, appointed Laura J. Alber to its Board of Directors. Laura is President and Chief Executive Officer of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. Read more in the Business Wire press release.

Christine Putur Made Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Coach.

Coach, Inc. appointed Christine Putur Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Christine, who holds an an MS in Management Information Systems from Boston University, had been Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Staples. Read more in the Business Wire press release.

One Kings Lane, co-founded by Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus, raised $50 million in Series D Financing.

One Kings Lane, the ecommerce company for the home co-founded by Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus, raised $50 million in Series D financing. The two women founded One Kings Lane because they saw a need for a "curated destination where consumers could shop, get inspired, find their favorite home and lifestyle brands, and discover new ones". Susan serves as the Chief Merchandising Officer. Alison serves as the Chief Partnership Officer. Read more about the deal on techcrunch.com.

Michelle Peluso Made Chief Executive Officer at Gilt.

Gilt appointed Michelle Peluso Chief Executive Officer. Michelle had been the Global Consumer Chief Marketing and Internet Officer at Citigroup and has served on the Board of Directors of Gilt since October 2009. Read more in the company announcement.