After submitting for chapter (for the second time) in 2025, Claire’s is again — and it is courting a brand new era of tweens. Though the mall retailer is nostalgic for millennials, the retailer’s refresh is not about us. As a substitute, it is geared toward at the moment’s 8-to 12-year-olds, a coveted client group that is shaping every thing from magnificence trends to retail technique.
Claire’s’ North American enterprise is now owned by Maryland-based personal holding firm, Ames Watson. (The firm acquired the enterprise and mental property in a $140 million deal that closed in September 2025.) As a substitute of liquidating and shutting shops as some anticipated, Ames Watson dedicated to protecting greater than 900 areas open throughout the U.S. and Canada with a promise to revamp the 65-year-old model.
Virtually a yr later, the primary retailer below the brand new era of Claire’s reopens Aug. 8 inside The Retailers at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., a suburb east of Los Angeles. The mall, house to tween favorites like Hollister, Aerie and Sanrio, was chosen partially as a result of it is the most important retailer within the Los Angeles space, making it effectively suited to launch occasions and creator content material, in response to a model rep. (Extra on that later.)
Maybe the largest replace to Claire’s is within the piercing expertise: Gone are the spring-loaded piercing “weapons” many millennials bear in mind from childhood. Claire’s now makes use of a hand-pressured instrument with single-use sterile cartridges, which the corporate says affords larger management and a extra hygienic expertise. Your entire piercing space feels ripe for a digitally native viewers who craves an IRL second.
“We all know that Gen Alpha needs to the touch, really feel and take a look at earlier than she makes the dedication of getting pierced,” Jillian Cueff, chief merchandising officer at Claire’s, tells Fashionista. “So issues like our little earring tree, the place you’ll be able to test your self out earlier than you make the dedication of getting pierced, [are] new to us.” Lollipops, de-stressor balls, hair clips and stickers are additionally obtainable for many who wish to lean into the expertise (and probably doc it on social media). Cueff says they had been conscious of protecting merchandise away from the world so it feels extra like a relaxed, customized second.
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However after all, purchasing is shut by, with upgraded jewelry choices. The “premium plated brass assortment” options extra elevated supplies which are nonetheless inexpensive, Cueff says, and consists of favorites like Stack Lab units for the proper earscape. “That is the place I feel you’ll be able to see the place we’re going with the product: We’re actually making an attempt to modernize, however we’re not making an attempt to make it inaccessible to anybody,” she provides.
It would not be Claire’s with out trend-driven jewellery, seasonal choices (Halloween is already prepared to buy) and BSF necklaces. (Youngsters lately say “BSF” as a substitute of “BFF.” Bizarre, I do know.) Scattered all through the classics are fashionable equipment like bag charms, fidget toys and lip gloss keychains.
Talking of lip gloss, the Claire’s magnificence part now options quite a lot of units of press-on nails. There’s a complete wall of lotion, physique spray, undereye patches and extra for these “GRWM” moments Claire’s is aware of are necessary to this era. “One of many issues that folks all the time discuss is ‘why is magnificence necessary at Claire’s?'” Cueff says. “Certainly one of [those] issues is that we wish to be a playground for girlhood. So many manufacturers are growing old her up and telling her to make use of merchandise that mother makes use of or, ‘here is what you want to do to seem like a Kardashian.’ We actually wish to have fun girlhood and the form of merchandise that you really want once you’re having your first magnificence expertise.”
That features charms on physique wash with scents like cake, strawberry and cotton sweet. “These are all her flavors,” Cueff continues. “We’re not making an attempt to be too critical right here. We’re simply making an attempt to have enjoyable. That is what you need her to do when she comes into the shop and that is what our strategy is to the merchandising.”
Picture: Courtesy of Claire's&interval;
The small tweaks to merchandising are evident all through the shop, together with placing merchandise at a top that youthful customers can “contact and really feel,” Cueff says. “As a result of in a world the place everybody’s on-line TikTok Store-ing and doing every thing digitally, this can be a area the place we all know she will be able to come and play IRL and have a lot enjoyable with merchandise that is constructed only for her.”
That is to not say these fashionable merchandise from social media do not make an look: They’re entrance and middle as quickly as you stroll into the shop, with the brand new “trending” part full with “KPop Demon Hunters” ramen and people viral butter-shaped squishies. “We’re feeding new merchandise into this space nearly each week as we discover new issues which are trending, whether or not or not it’s slime or blind balls,” Cueff says. The thought is that the client can improve their piercing expertise or, if they do not want one other piercing, test again in to buy what they see on-line.
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Extra IRL moments embody collaborations with expertise that appears like “hers” and never favorites of her dad and mom, or, effectively, journal editors. Claire’s focus is on turning into a launchpad for YouTubers and digital creators to achieve their hardest‑to‑attain followers (Gen Alpha women) by product, storytelling and retailer experiences. To wit, on July 25, Clarie’s launched its partnership with Lana Rae, the favored YouTube/Roblox creator behind Lana’s Life. She now has an unique magnificence and equipment line, a VidCon sales space, a Roblox extension and plans for meet-and-greets.
Gen Alpha could stay on-line, however Claire’s is betting that they crave extra sensory, in‑individual moments. The remainder of the 900+ retailer upgrades will proceed rolling out by fall and into 2027.
