Yahoo Finance The Webster Picks a Dot-com, Tech Leader
The Webster, known for its distinctive in-store merchandising featuring leading established and emerging luxury labels, is striving to elevate the dot-com side of it business.
The company disclosed that it has appointed Eric Johnson chief digital and technology officer, a new role. Johnson will be responsible for leading the company’s digital growth and transforming the customer experience.
More from WWD
Why the Fiorucci Store Was the Mother of All Retail Concepts
Unites States Retail in the Aftermath of Police Brutality Protests
In its statement, The Webster indicated that Johnson has more than 20 years of experience in digital and retail, having worked at Nike Inc., Adidas, VF Corp. and Abercrombie & Fitch.
“With his experienced guidance, we look to reimagine our e-commerce platform offering a seamless client journey that is representative of both our personalized in-store experience and highly differentiated brand identity,” said Laure Hériard Dubreuil, founder and chief executive officer of The Webster.
While seeking to build up its e-commerce, The Webster has also been expanding its brick-and-mortar footprint since opening its first store 13 years ago. It’s located at 1220 Collins Avenue in South Beach, Miami in what was originally the Webster Hotel. The 20,000-square-foot Art Deco building was built in 1939 by architect Henry Hohauser.
In October, The Webster’s first store outside the U.S. opened in Toronto, bringing the total number of stores to eight. The other stores are located in Bal Harbour, Fla.; Houston; Costa Mesa, Calif.; New York City, Los Angeles and Montecito, Calif. There is also an outlet at Sawgrass Mills in Florida.
The stores are designed with residential-feel boutiques that, as the company said, “prioritize heritage and rising brands, are merchandised by color and vibe, and not by label.” They showcase a mix of established luxury brands such as Balenciaga, Gucci, YSL, Balmain and Chanel, as well as emerging brands. The retailer is also a destination for exclusive collaborations with brands such as Paco Rabanne, Off-White and Fenty and has a partnership with David Mallett who operates a studio out of The Webster’s SoHo, New York location.
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
