New York & Company
An American women's apparel and accessories retailer that shifted from a national store chain to a primarily digital workwear business.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
New York & Company is an American women's apparel and accessories brand whose roots extend to the Lerner Shops chain, established in New York City in 1918. The business grew from a small group of women's and children's clothing stores into one of the largest apparel chains in the United States before undergoing several ownership, naming, and format changes. Its original retail identity was Lerner Shops, a name retained for much of the twentieth century. The company later became Lerner New York and adopted the New York & Company name during a 1990s repositioning. The brand traditionally focused on affordable, fashion-oriented clothing for working women, including dresses, separates, career wear, denim, knitwear, outerwear, accessories, and later beauty products. It operated through shopping malls, urban flagship stores, outlet locations, and an e-commerce channel. The assortment was positioned between mass-market basics and more expensive specialty fashion, emphasizing accessible styling for office, social, and everyday use. New York & Company also developed capsule and celebrity-led collections, including collaborations associated with Eva Mendes, Gabrielle Union, and Kate Hudson. The company passed through several corporate owners. McCrory Corporation acquired a substantial interest in Lerner in the 1960s and later took full control. Limited Brands acquired Lerner in 1985, after which the business was restructured and its merchandise strategy was revised. Limited Brands sold New York & Company in 2002 to Bear Stearns Merchant Banking, making it independent. The company became publicly traded in 2004 and expanded its direct-to-consumer operations, launching an e-commerce website in 2006. During the 2010s, New York & Company increased its emphasis on outlet stores and broadened its product portfolio. It launched NY&C Beauty in 2012, introduced a collaboration with Eva Mendes in 2013, acquired the plus-size retailer Fashion to Figure in 2017, and opened a large Chicago flagship store in 2018. That same year, its corporate parent changed its name from New York & Co., Inc. to RTW Retailwinds as part of a strategy intended to emphasize a wider portfolio and digital commerce. The corporate ticker was changed to RTW at the time. The retailer entered a period of severe financial stress in 2019 and 2020. It reported a substantial operating loss, announced store closures, faced a potential stock-exchange delisting warning, and was identified by market analysts as vulnerable to default. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the pressure by forcing store closures and causing broad employee furloughs and layoffs. RTW Retailwinds filed for bankruptcy in July 2020. Its assets, including New York & Company and Fashion to Figure, were sold through a bankruptcy process, ultimately going to Saadia Group in September 2020. Under Saadia Group, New York & Company introduced a menswear collection in 2021 and continued selected celebrity and portfolio initiatives. Saadia Group later defaulted on a reported loan, and control of its assets shifted to White Oak Commercial Finance. By March 2024, New York & Company was reported to be controlled by ADJHA NY&Co. LLC. The brand's post-bankruptcy model is primarily digital, with apparel and accessories sold through its online store rather than through the large national physical-store network that defined its earlier history.
History
New York & Company's history began with Lorraine Shops in 1917 and the formation of Lerner Shops in 1918 by Samuel A. Lerner, Joseph J. Lerner, Michael Lerner, and Harold M. Lane in New York City. The first store was followed by rapid expansion. By 1920, the reorganized Lerner Stores Corporation operated 23 locations, and within the next decade the chain had grown to approximately 160 stores across 37 states. By the late 1940s it had nearly 200 stores nationwide and had become a significant women's and children's apparel retailer. McCrory Corporation acquired a substantial interest in Lerner in 1963 and later increased its ownership. Lerner was described as the largest chain of women's and children's apparel shops in the United States by the mid-1960s. McCrory formally acquired the company in 1973. In 1985, Limited Brands announced the purchase of Lerner from McCrory's parent company, Rapid-American Corporation. Leslie Wexner assumed senior leadership connected with the business, and the new ownership undertook a major merchandise and management reset. The chain was renamed Lerner New York in the early 1990s. During a period when Limited's brands were competing with one another, the company announced store closures and began modernizing its merchandise. The New York & Company label was introduced during this transition. By the end of the decade, the Lerner name had largely disappeared from the retail identity, leaving New York & Company as the principal brand. Limited Brands sold New York & Company to Bear Stearns Merchant Banking in 2002. The company became independent, went public in 2004, opened a flagship store in New York City, and launched e-commerce in 2006. These steps reflected the brand's effort to combine mall-based specialty retail with a direct online channel. During the 2010s, it added beauty products, celebrity collaborations, outlet stores, and broader portfolio offerings. NY&C Beauty launched in 2012, an Eva Mendes collection followed in 2013, and celebrity-linked initiatives involving Gabrielle Union and Kate Hudson appeared later in the decade. The company also acquired Fashion to Figure in 2017, extending its presence in plus-size fashion. The physical-store strategy continued to evolve. Outlet locations became a larger share of the estate, while flagship and underperforming stores were closed. In 2018, the company opened a large two-level flagship in Chicago and changed its corporate name to RTW Retailwinds. The corporate rebranding was intended to support a wider portfolio and a stronger e-commerce orientation rather than represent a simple change to the consumer brand. Financial pressure intensified in 2019. The company recorded a major operating loss, announced store closures, and abandoned the Uncommon Sense lingerie initiative. In early 2020, its stock faced a New York Stock Exchange delisting warning and analysts identified it as vulnerable to default. The COVID-19 pandemic then forced store closures and caused widespread furloughs and permanent job reductions. Senior leadership and board changes followed, and RTW Retailwinds filed for bankruptcy in July 2020 with plans to close most or all physical locations. The bankruptcy process resulted in the sale of the company's assets, including New York & Company, Fashion to Figure, and a rental-subscription business. Saadia Group became the buyer after the bankruptcy auction in September 2020. Under that ownership, New York & Company launched menswear in 2021 and continued selected collaborations, including a relaunch of the Gabrielle Union line. Saadia Group later experienced a severe liquidity and debt crisis. After a reported loan default and the effective shutdown of the group by March 2024, White Oak Commercial Finance obtained control of the assets, while ADJHA NY&Co. LLC was reported as the entity controlling New York & Company. The modern brand is therefore best understood as a primarily digital continuation of a formerly large American store chain.
- 2024
Control shifts after Saadia Group default
[1]Following Saadia Group's financial collapse, control of New York & Company's assets was reported to have shifted to ADJHA NY&Co. LLC.
- 2021
Menswear collection launches
[1]Under Saadia Group ownership, New York & Company introduced its first menswear collection.
- 2020
Bankruptcy and asset sale
[1]RTW Retailwinds filed for bankruptcy, and its brands and other assets were sold through a bankruptcy auction.
- 2018
Corporate parent becomes RTW Retailwinds
[1]The corporate entity changed its name as it pursued portfolio expansion and an e-commerce-focused strategy.
- 2017
Fashion to Figure is acquired
[1]New York & Company acquired the plus-size retailer Fashion to Figure.
- 2012
NY&C Beauty launches
[1]The brand entered beauty with fragrance, lip, and nail products.
- 2006
E-commerce website launches
[1]The company added an online sales channel to its store network.
- 2004
Company becomes publicly traded
[1]New York & Company completed its public-market transition and continued expanding its retail footprint.
- 2002
Brand is sold to Bear Stearns Merchant Banking
[1]Limited Brands divested New York & Company, making it an independent business.
- 1993
New York & Company label is introduced
[1]Limited began modernizing the chain and introducing the New York & Company apparel identity while closing selected locations.
Products and positioning
Accessible, trend-aware apparel for working women, with an emphasis on office clothing, versatile wardrobe separates, inclusive sizing, and value-oriented fashion. Following bankruptcy and store closures, the brand has operated primarily as a digital retailer.
Apparel
Women's workwear
The core New York & Company assortment has centered on office-oriented clothing for women, including tailored separates, dresses, blouses, trousers, skirts, cardigans, and jackets. The line has generally combined approachable prices with fashion updates intended for professional wardrobes and flexible day-to-evening use.
Denim
Soho Jeans
Soho Jeans is the brand's denim-oriented line. It extends New York & Company's assortment beyond formal workwear into jeans and casual wardrobe pieces, and was promoted through a brand-ambassador relationship with Kate Hudson beginning in 2018.
Beauty · 2012
NY&C Beauty
Introduced in 2012, NY&C Beauty expanded the brand into personal-care and beauty accessories. The line included fragrance, lip products, and nail products, creating a lower-priced add-on category alongside the apparel business.
Celebrity collaboration · 2013
Eva Mendes collection
The Eva Mendes collection was an exclusive apparel collaboration launched in 2013. It used a celebrity design partnership to broaden the brand's visibility while remaining connected to its women's fashion and occasionwear categories.
Celebrity collaboration · 2017
Gabrielle Union collection
Gabrielle Union introduced a New York & Company collection in 2017. The line was later relaunched in 2021 across New York & Company, Lord & Taylor, and Fashion to Figure under Saadia Group's ownership.
Celebrity collaboration · 2018
Kate Hudson collection
Kate Hudson became an ambassador for the Soho Jeans line in 2018 and was associated with a planned New York & Company collection. The collaboration formed part of the brand's effort to connect denim and lifestyle fashion with celebrity-led marketing.
Lingerie · 2019
Uncommon Sense
Uncommon Sense was a lingerie brand introduced by the company in 2019. The business later announced that it would exit the category the same year as part of a broader effort to reduce complexity and address financial pressure.
Apparel · 2021
Men's apparel
New York & Company introduced its first menswear collection in 2021 under Saadia Group ownership. The launch represented an expansion beyond the brand's historic focus on women's apparel, although the scale and continuing availability of the category are unclear.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Gabrielle Union line relaunch
United States
The Gabrielle Union fashion line was relaunched for New York & Company, Lord & Taylor, and Fashion to Figure under Saadia Group ownership.
Outcome. The relaunch connected the brand with multiple companies in Saadia Group's fashion portfolio.
- 2018Kate Hudson and Soho Jeans
United States
Kate Hudson became an ambassador for Soho Jeans and was linked to a planned New York & Company collection, giving the denim line a celebrity lifestyle association.
Outcome. The associated Happy X Nature collection launched in 2019; the continuing status of the broader New York & Company collaboration is unclear.
- 2017Gabrielle Union collection
United States
Gabrielle Union launched a fashion collection with New York & Company, extending the company's celebrity-led product and advertising strategy.
Outcome. The collaboration continued to be associated with the brand and was relaunched across related Saadia Group brands in 2021.
- 2016Undercover Boss appearance
United States
Chief executive Gregory Scott and New York & Company appeared on the television program Undercover Boss, placing the retailer's operations and customer-facing workforce in a nationally visible format.
Outcome. The program provided brand exposure and highlighted store operations; no specific measurable commercial outcome is documented here.
- 2013Eva Mendes collection
United States
New York & Company partnered with Eva Mendes on an exclusive fashion collection, using a recognizable public figure to promote women's apparel and strengthen the brand's style credentials.
Outcome. The collection became one of the brand's notable celebrity collaborations; longer-term commercial results are not specified.
Brand decisions
2021
First menswear collectionProduct launchBackground
Under Saadia Group ownership, the brand sought to broaden its product offer beyond its historic women's apparel base.
Action taken
New York & Company introduced its first menswear collection.
Aftermath
The move expanded the brand's stated product scope, although the continuing scale of menswear is unclear.
2020
Bankruptcy filing and asset saleOtherBackground
The company faced declining retail performance, a potential exchange delisting, pandemic-related store closures, furloughs, and permanent workforce reductions.
Action taken
RTW Retailwinds filed for bankruptcy in July, then sold New York & Company and related assets through a bankruptcy auction. Saadia Group became the buyer in September.
Aftermath
The transaction ended the prior publicly traded corporate structure and moved the brand into private ownership.
Reported asset-sale price. $20 million (August 2020 proposed sale; final transaction followed in September 2020)
2019
Store reduction and exit from Uncommon SenseStrategyBackground
After a difficult operating year and a reported operating loss of nearly $62 million, the company pursued cost reduction and portfolio simplification.
Action taken
RTW Retailwinds announced the closure of 30 stores, including 19 New York & Company locations, and said it would leave the Uncommon Sense lingerie business.
Aftermath
The retailer continued reducing its physical footprint before filing for bankruptcy in 2020.
Operating loss. Nearly $62 million (2019)
2018
Corporate rebrand to RTW RetailwindsStrategyBackground
The company wanted to expand beyond the New York & Company banner and place greater strategic emphasis on e-commerce.
Action taken
New York & Co., Inc. changed its corporate name to RTW Retailwinds and changed its public-market ticker to RTW.
Aftermath
The New York & Company consumer brand remained in operation, but the corporate parent subsequently entered severe financial distress.
2017
Acquisition of Fashion to FigureM&ABackground
New York & Company sought to broaden its portfolio and strengthen its participation in plus-size fashion.
Action taken
The company acquired Fashion to Figure.
Aftermath
Fashion to Figure became part of the company's broader portfolio and was later included in the 2020 asset sale.
Reported acquisition price. $1.4 million (2017 acquisition)
2002
Sale to Bear Stearns Merchant BankingM&ABackground
Limited Brands divested New York & Company after owning the business for approximately two decades.
Action taken
Bear Stearns Merchant Banking acquired the company, which then operated independently.
Aftermath
The company later became publicly traded in 2004 and continued developing its own retail and digital strategy.
1993
Repositioning from Lerner New York to New York & CompanyStrategyBackground
Limited Brands determined that several of its brands were competing with one another and began closing selected Lerner New York stores while modernizing the merchandise.
Action taken
The company introduced the New York & Company label and later removed the Lerner name from the consumer-facing identity.
Aftermath
The rebranding established the name that became the company's long-term retail identity.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
RTW Retailwinds completes sale of its e-commerce business[2]
RTW Retailwinds closed the sale of its e-commerce business, related intellectual property, rental subscription businesses and certain other assets to the Saadia Group. The article says the sale had been approved by a U.S. bankruptcy court on September 4.
- Unconfirmed
RTW Retailwinds plans to permanently close most stores[3]
RTW Retailwinds, parent company of New York & Co., announced plans to permanently close most of its stores.
New York & Company announces store closures[4]
Reported:
New York & Company said it would close most, if not all, of its nearly 400 stores. RTW Retailwinds also said it had launched a store-closing and liquidation process.
New York & Company files for bankruptcy[4]
Reported:
New York & Company filed for bankruptcy. Its parent, RTW Retailwinds, said the challenging retail environment and the COVID-19 pandemic had caused significant financial distress.
RTW Retailwinds files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy[5]
Reported:
RTW Retailwinds announced that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing financial distress worsened by the coronavirus pandemic.
New York & Company launches Gabrielle Union holiday collection[6]
Reported:
New York & Company and Gabrielle Union launched a 51-piece holiday collection featuring apparel in metallics, sequins, and luxe fabrics; the collection was available online.
Sources7 sources
- 1New York & Companyen.wikipedia.org
- 2RTW Retailwinds 完成电商业务出售fibre2fashion.com
- 3RTW Retailwinds计划永久关闭旗下大部分门店biz.jrj.com.cn
- 4New York & Company宣布关闭门店scrippsnews.com
- 5RTW Retailwinds申请第11章破产保护nbcbayarea.com
- 6New York & Company推出加布里埃尔·尤尼恩节日系列blackenterprise.com
- 7New York & Company Files For Bankruptcylongisland.com
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