Urban Outfitters names global CEO at Anthropologie

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Apr 13, 2021

Philadelphia-based lifestyle group Urban Outfitters Inc. announced on Monday the appointment of a new global chief executive officer, following the resignation of Hillary Super who officially stepped down from her role on Friday. 

Tricia Smith has joined the Anthropologie team as the new global CEO bringing with her over 26 years of retail experience spent within the Nordstrom merchant organization, where she was executive vice president, general merchandise manager of women’s, young contemporary, designer, and specialized apparel. Most recently, she was executive vice president, chief merchandising officer, of California-based apparel company Tilly’s since 2019.

“We are pleased to welcome Tricia into the Urbn family,” said Richard A. Hayne, chief executive officer, Urbn. “She is an accomplished leader with extensive merchant experience. She understands the Anthropologie customer, and I’m confident she will successfully expand the brand’s equity and reach.”

Urban Outfitters Inc.'s portfolio of global consumer brands includes Anthropologie, BHLDN, Free People, FP Movement, Terrain, Urban Outfitters, Nuuly and Menus & Venues brands. 

On Monday, the company shared that total retail segment comparable net sales thus far during the first quarter of fiscal 2022 have increased by high single-digits when compared to fiscal 2020. 

It added that in North America, better sales results were driven by double-digit ‘comp’ results at both the Free People and Urban Outfitters brands, while Anthropologie sales are said to “have improved substantially but remain slightly negative.” 

The company’s brands offer lifestyle-oriented general merchandise and consumer products through 644 stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, global websites, and catalogs. 

Due to Covid-19 induced restrictions, most of its European stores have remained closed in Q1, but UK stores are scheduled to re-open Monday. The company said exceptionally strong, triple-digital online sales increases have largely offset the loss of store sales.