Macy’s is graduating five vendors from its second minority- and women-owned business development program, The Workshop at Macy’s, proof of the success of the retailer’s commitment to mentoring and fostering growth begun last spring.
The latest graduates include Bella Tunno, Big Girl Cosmetics, Cenia, Kane & Couture and Lamik Beauty, and their products are now available at select Macy’s stores and/or Macys.com.
“The incredible success of our first Workshop is evidenced by this amazing group of enterprises that have now graduated to vendor status within Macy’s community of suppliers. Our goal with the Workshop has been to create a viable pipeline of businesses that will ultimately bring unique products to our stores and online storefront,” stated Shawn Outler, Macy’s group VP, Multicultural Development, Fashion Forecasting/Operations and Leased Businesses.
The workshop is a four and a half day intensive training course created by Macy’s Learning & Development, Macy’s Multicultural Merchandising and Vendor Development, Babson College and select Macy’s merchants and vendors. The first workshop included 22 businesses ranging from makeup companies to confectioneries:
This year’s workshop included 17 businesses. “We are extremely pleased to see this goal come to fruition so soon in the life of this long-term initiative. It speaks volumes about the impact of the coursework and the insight that was shared with these participants. They took the information they learned to heart, put it into practice and are now seeing their efforts come full circle with their first order of goods from Macy’s,” added Outler.
Bella Tunno is a line of baby and children’s “neccessories” line. Since 2005, their mission is to be fashionably functional, innovative and solution-based, with an equal mission to donate a portion of every sale to charity. “The Workshop at Macy’s challenged us to examine our business on an elevated level,” said Michelle Tunno Buelow, founder and CEO of Bella Tunno. “It encouraged us to realistically look at our current infrastructure and strategy, dream bigger, and then bridge the gap.”
Big Girl Cosmetics is a full-service cosmetics line for ‘poly-ethnic women,’ combining edgy, urban, high pigment with a healthier, mineral-based product and extended-wear performance. The business was created with money founder and CEO Kiley Russell received from selling a free car she won on “Oprah.”
Cenia is a day-into-evening dress line that takes pride in its quality and blends modern, clean aesthetics and sophistication with a revolutionary fit designed for the four predominant female body shapes.
Kane & Couture’s signature label doggy collars, harnesses and leashes are fun, trendy and affordable. Featuring various designs with specialty treatments including studs, grommets and even hearts, the Bubba Dog Collection by Kane & Couture will make any pup top dog.
Lamik Beauty believes “Beauty is revealed, not applied.” The name stands for “Love and Makeup in Kind” and Kim Roxie, founder and CEO, commented, "The opportunity changed my perspective and gave my business the retail insider information it needed to succeed even my own limits. The relationships I was able to build within a week will span a lifetime, cheers to the Magic of Macy's!"
Macy’s will begin accepting entries for the 2013 Workshop in the late fall/winter of this year and eligibility requirements are available at macysinc.com/workshop.
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