PARIS, TEXAS — JCPenney debuted its spring collection in Paris, Texas in spring 2026. Brand CEO Michelle Wlazlo said choosing Paris, Texas, for the spring collection debut was meant to convey a sense of attainability rather than aspiration.

"I respect Paris Fashion Week and all of it — we're in the fashion business," Wlazlo said. "Our customers are not in the audience there."

Wlazlo became JCPenney's brand CEO when the company was reorganized last year as a subsidiary of Catalyst Brands alongside Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Lucky Brand, and Nautica. She previously served as JCPenney's chief merchandising officer.

The retailer has had 18 consecutive months of increases in customer trip frequency and saw a 20% increase in loyalty customers from last year, according to the company. Recent financial filings show that JCPenney's quarterly sales and profits continue to be soft.

JCPenney is rethinking its department store layout to group complementary products together based on typical shopping missions rather than traditional merchandise categories. The company is designing stores so that customers do not have to walk through the whole store if they do not need to.

The retailer's portfolio of in-house brands includes Liz Claiborne and Worthington. According to Wlazlo, JCPenney's teams work to deliver Levi's jeans and Nike activewear in stores, alongside in-house options that round out outfits. "Our national brands and private brands actually should complement each other," she said.

"Customers don't only buy the thing that's the cheapest, they buy the thing that actually has the most relevant value for what they're looking for," Wlazlo said. JCPenney is betting on its in-house brands to offer shoppers more style for their dollars.

"I walk down the street all the time, and I wear our products head to toe," Wlazlo said. Wlazlo regularly hands out gift cards to shoppers she meets. "Once people stop me or go into our stores, we see them convert all the time. They just need to be reminded of what we are."

The retailer faces competition on convenience and value fronts from retailers including Walmart, TJX, and Target. JCPenney has experienced a challenging decade of performance.