Conversations with CommerceNext · 2025-10-15 · 22 min
In this special summer episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast, recorded live at the CommerceNext Growth Show in New York, Steve Dennis and Michael LeBlanc from The Remarkable Retail Podcast welcome Jeannie Yoo, CEO of Draper James, for a wide-ranging conversation on the brand's growth trajectory, the power of celebrity in retail, and the rise of human-centric retail experiences. Jeannie brings two decades of fashion retail experience to the table, from her early days at Michael Kors and Coach to leading the luxury house Adam Lippes. Now nine months into her role at Draper James, Yoo is steering the Southern-rooted lifestyle brand - founded by Reese Witherspoon - through its next stage of growth, marked by its 10th anniversary "decade tour" and a sharpened focus on customer connection. Yoo discusses how Draper James defies the "digitally native" label, thriving through retail stores, with licensing and pop-ups that foster personal, local, and sensory experiences. While the brand's celebrity origin story is foundational, Yoo emphasizes how its growth is now powered by inclusive pricing, joyful storytelling, and a culture of Southern hospitality.
"Expressive" Luxury Meets Analytics: Tapestry's Pooja Chandiramani and Avinash Kaushik on Marketing Transformation71 / 100Lauren Price, COS' SVP E-Commerce & Digital Marketing on Winning Over the Next Generation of CustomersFrom Seed to Scale: XRC Ventures' Pano Anthos on Revolutionizing Retail & Consumer TechReimagining Heritage Through Innovation: A Conversation with Stuart Hogue, (formerly) Lands' End Senior Vice President, US ConsumerLeading Social Commerce into the Future with Walmart VP Sarah Henry