Sophia Loren once famously declared, “A woman’s dress should be like a barbed-wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view.” Women’s clothing retailer Dressbarn is celebrating just that with the launch of Dressbar, a digital and in-store experience and national ad campaign celebrating the femininity, fun and functionality of the dress.
“We are taking this opportunity and capitalizing on the greatest market share of our business: the dress. There are very few retailers if any, offering this level of design and quality in the value sector,” said Jeff Gerstel, president of Dressbarn, a division of Ascena Retail Group. “With the launch of the Dressbar at Dressbarn, we plan on being the number one destination for dresses in-store and online.”
As of yesterday, New Yorkers can stop by a Dressbar pop-up at 102 Fifth Avenue to shop a curated collection of dresses, including collaborations with notable names in fashion: Luxe by Carmen Marc Valvo, featuring the designer’s signature florals and pleats; Mixt by Heidi Weisel; Lovely by Adrienne Papell designed by the brand’s creative director, Michael Smaldone; and dbRSVP by the DB Fashion Studio, from the retailer’s design director, Etta Granata. True, a jewelry collection from Celeste and Satu Greenberg of Tuleste, will be on offer, too. Dresses in sizes 4-24 retail for $42-$70, while the jewelry goes for $10-$29.50.
On Dressbar.com, consumers can search for their ideal dress by occasion or mood (read: date night, wedding guest, weekend and work wear), get expert advice and read editorial content. In-store, meanwhile, Dressbarn worked with Robin Kramer of Kramer Design Group to create distinctive shop-in-shops that include integrated iPads that enhance the customer experience. Further store prototypes will be rolled out in the fall.