Fashion

Is Sears The New Zara?

by Tyler Atwood

Sears hasn't experienced a lot of love since its centennial anniversary, but the department store's luck may be poised to change. According to Women's Wear Daily, Sears's Mexico-based outlets will begin emulating Zara and the store's runway-to-real-life business strategy in order to haul the brand out of its decades-long slump. By channeling a more youthful, fashion-forward demographic, the company hopes to change its reputation to resemble those of stores like H&M, Forever 21, and Zara.

Considering that the question "Is that sweater from Sears?" has been thrown around as a sniveling insult since the '90s, it seems high time for a revamp of the department store. After cornering the market for necessities of all kinds during the 1890s and into the mid-20th century, the brand ran out of steam and took a backseat to more modern brands with better business models. After all, the store is in such a state of discredit that Business Insider ran a story in October 2013 entitled "18 Depressing Photos That Show Why Nobody Wants To Shop At Sears." Ouch.

However, Sears' Grupo Sanborns SAB-owned retail spaces in Mexico are another story. Due to better upkeep and attention to detail, the Mexico-based Sears stores are more appealing to consumers with a bit more disposable income. The brand revamp could mean even further consumer interest from shoppers who aren't just looking for the basics. So the next time you're looking for a way to playfully disparage your best friend's ensemble, you may have to find a better barb than accusing her of shopping at Sears.

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