NRF 2026 Recap: 4 Ways Winning Brands Are Rewriting the Consumer Playbook

In a market crowded with fragmented channels and increasingly short attention spans, NRF 2026 highlighted that the brands making the biggest impact were those that shared a renewed commitment to the voice of the customer. While the transformative power of AI was an overarching theme, the breakout stories were focused on brands going back to basics, focusing deeply on knowing who they are and building meaningful relevance with the people who matter most. 

A clear brand identity starts (and stays) with the customer 

Coach and Victoria’s Secret offered powerful lessons in the art of focus. Coach’s resurgence began with an honest reckoning: the brand was spread too thin. Instead of reaching for an increasingly wider audience, Coach’s leaders decided to strip back, listen deeply to consumers, and make the bold decision to narrow their target audience and focus on serving them. The result: a brand renaissance, with Gen Z and Millennials now accounting for 70% of its customer base. 

Victoria’s Secret has been on a similar journey. After several years of flat growth, the brand is now on the upswing. This shift has been aided by the brand’s strategic pivot from promotional to personal. Victoria’s Secret has focused on turning its 35,000 store associates into brand ambassadors, who act as relatable touchpoints for customers to reconnect with the brand. 

DTC brands are turning to traditional retail 

“Digital-first” brands are continuing to turn to brick and mortar. Both Mejuri and Rothy’s are betting on physical retail as a growth engine. Mejuri’s 55 stores now serve as a major acquisition channel, with 60% of in-store buyers new to the brand.  

Rothy’s shared a similar playbook. As they plan to expand into men’s, kids’, and enter every Nordstrom location, the message is clear: direct-to-consumer is a channel, not a strategy. Physical retail delivers scale in ways eCommerce alone cannot. 

In addition, AI is playing an increasingly important role from a planning and inventory perspective. Leveraging data and analytics from online sources ensures that stores are equipped with the right stock to meet customer’s needs.  

Growth strategies are shifting from transactional to relational 

Speakers at NRF highlighted a clear pivot towards deeper partnerships and loyalty. Mango’s aggressive U.S. expansion through Nordstrom showcases the renewed power of wholesale partnerships, an approach Rothy’s is also embracing. For these traditional department stores, whose models have been challenged, forming partnerships with brands has become a key strategy for attracting new customers and creating mutual value. 

 Meanwhile, Ulta demonstrated what loyalty looks like at scale: 46 million loyalty members are driving 95% of total sales, anchoring the brand as a beauty destination across generations.  

Winning Women 

Another notable trend at NRF this year was the strong presence of women on stage. VF Corp’s trio of Brand Presidents, representing Timberland, The North Face, and Vans, were all women. Likewise, brands such as Away, Zadig & Voltaire, COS, Vuori, and Ulta also featured highly accomplished female executives. While it’s well established that gender-diverse leadership teams drive stronger business outcomes, it was inspiring to see so many companies turning that strategy into action, showcasing women leaders not just in the boardroom but prominently on the NRF stage. And beyond the event, three major brand transformations, Abercrombie, Victoria’s Secret, and Coach, are all being led by female CEOs.  

Across every keynote and panel, the strongest takeaway from NRF was that winning brands are customer-obsessed and chasing connection over conversion. From legacy icons reclaiming relevance to DTC challengers scaling effectively, success now hinges on customer focus, physical presence, and emotional resonance. For today’s consumer leaders, the mandate is simple: listen harder and build where your customers want you to be.