Lord & Taylor, Americas oldest department store, to make a comeback after years of devastating financial hardship

Lord & Taylor, America’s oldest department store chain, is making a comeback with an old logo, new owners and a new vision.The iconic company, established in 1826 and with a long history in fashion, shuttered its brick-and-mortar stores in 2021 after years of financial hardship exacerbated by the pandemic.An e-commerce reboot also failed.Now, under new owners Regal Brands Global, who acquired Lord & Taylor’s intellectual property, the store and brand is looking to reclaim its lofty position in the retail industry with an online comeback in 2025 and a return of its iconic sweeping cursive logo – which had been canned under previous ownership.“We are delighted to bring back our beloved logo and are dedicated to restoring Lord & Taylor’s reputation for exceptional customer service and quality,” the Lord & Taylor’s website states.

“Our focus will be on introducing new products under the iconic Lord & Taylor signature logo.”Regal Brands Global purchased Lord & Taylor intellectual property rights after the investment firm Saadia Group relinquished those rights in February after a court found it was in default on more than $45 million in debt.Regal Brands Global says it wants to revitalize Lord & Taylor’s nostalgia and mix it with modernity so it never goes out of fashion.Lord & Taylor’s website states that it has been “a symbol of elegance and style since its inception.”Sina Yenel, the chief strategy officer at Regal Brands Global, called the disposal of the classic logo in 2022 “the biggest betrayal of the brand” in an interview with Retail Drive.“I understand going after young customers, but this is not a startup,” Yenel told the outlet referring to the plain logo with Helvetica font that had replaced its longstanding logo .

“This is a brand that’s been out here for 198 years.Lord & Taylor has such a huge profile, among different generations and different cultures.”He said a retail team of 75...