• Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, August 11, 2010 10:37 AM

JC Penney is making a big bet on Mango, a stylish "fast-fashion" brand that "caters to style-obsessed twenty-somethings who shop every month and pay full price," Rachel Dodes reports. MNG by Mango will be sold in 77 Penney stores starting Aug. 18 and roll out to 600 of its 1,100 stores by next fall.

The retailer hopes the frequent turnover will lure fashion-conscious shoppers to the store continually. "If you only deliver four times a year, there's only a reason to come to the store four times a year," says CEO Myron E. Ullman III.

Penney has been trying for years to convince shoppers that its wares are more chic than they may think but its success has been limited. "We're great in teenage space, and really good once a woman has her first baby or buys her first home, but weaker with that early 20-something, early 30-something customer," says Liz Sweney, senior general merchandise manager for Penney's women's businesses.

Penney is building in-store boutiques averaging 1,000 square feet to house MNG by Mango. They feature hardwood floors, black chandeliers and modern tables that will showcase skirts ranging from $50 to $100, and jackets from $60 to $160.

Read the whole story at Wall Street Journal »