Liz Chair On Retail Evolution

NEW YORK CITY-In a changing retail environment, companies can no longer rely on their products alone to drive sales, said Paul Charron, chairman and chief executive officer of Liz Claiborne yesterday at the National Retail Federation’s Annual Convention and Expo here at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Charron and his company were winners of the convention and federation’s highest award, the Gold Medal.

“The mantra of product, product, product is overly simplistic,” he says. “The customer has abundant choices. The half-life of your great idea is about three weeks.”

Locally-based Liz Claiborne has tried to diversify in efforts to keep up with the changing industry. Known for years as a wholesaler and for its namesake retail stores, Liz Claiborne also operates emerging, hot chains such as Juicy Couture and Lucky Brand Jeans and sells through a variety of channels, including stores, department stores, catalogs and the Internet. The company’s specialty-store division operates about 700 units, and executives plan to open 125 to 135 more every year for the next four years.