Nicole Richie at Jacques Penné opening - Photo: JCPenney
Looking to raise its fashion cachet with younger consumers and poke a little fun at itself, J.C. Penney this past Friday and Saturday opened a Jacques Penné pop-up in the trendy neighborhood of SoHo in Manhattan to showcase gift ideas in part curated by television personality Nicole Richie.
“JCPenney has long been referred to as Jacques Penné, a playful reference to its elevated merchandise at affordable prices, and the retailer is bringing this to life,” J.C. Penney said on Facebook.
The pop-up opening coincided with the launch of an online virtual reality feature that gives consumers a 360-degree view of the Jacques Penné collection to make purchases on their desktop and mobile through Jan. 7.
Along with offerings from in-house brands, Michael Strahan and Libby Edelman, the pop-up shop featured eight curated collections: Shine, Tech, Be Well, Cozy, Toys, Festive Fashions and Holiday as well as picks from Ms. Richie, a fashion designer, reality star and sometimes actress.
Wrote Bethany Biron for Glossy, “To the unassuming eye, it could pass as an Etsy shop come to life, rather an event put together by a beleaguered mall brand like JCPenney — which is exactly what it’s going for.
The pop-up builds on the launch in early November of the “JCPenney Holiday Challenge,” a campaign that encourages consumers to discover how much they can save by shopping at Penney’s. The department store operator has admitted to its challenges trying to be cool enough to attract Millennial shoppers.
Besides visits by Ms. Richie and Mr. Strahan, the pop-up featured meet-and-greets by Disney channel actress Lara Marano, fashion blogger Danielle Bernstein and YouTube stars Brooklyn and Bailey. Penney wrote, “Hosting meet-ups with these key influencers offers an opportunity to introduce their fans to our brand and convert them into loyal JCPenney shoppers.”
All the stars also have a vast social reach. Ms. Richie alone garners four million followers on Instagram and five million on Twitter.
- Jacques Penné Pop-up Shop Inspires Holiday Shoppers to Give JCPenney Another Look – JCPenney
- Jacques Penné, a JCPenney Holiday Boutique – Facebook
- JCPenney Challenges Holiday Shoppers to Get More For Less – JCPenney
- Jacques Penné – JCPenney
- J.C. Penney Opening "Jacques Penne" Pop-Up – Hollywood Reporter
- With ‘Jacques Penne’ virtual pop-up, JCPenney seeks a fresh approach – Glossy