Another Massive Retail Innovation Center is Coming to the Bay

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VF Corporation, which owns 30+ apparel and accessories brands including Wrangler, Jansport, The North Face and 7 for All Mankind, is following in the footsteps of other savvy retailers and opening a technology development center in Alameda by 2014. VF's predecessors include Target, Walmart, and American Eagle. But while they're all about maximizing ecommerce sales, VF will focus on developing high-tech products.

The company will staff scientists, engineers, and technical designers to develop innovative technical apparel that they expect to sell at retail in three to five years. No word yet as to which of VF Corp's brands will be involved. We're imagining The North Face or Jansport over Ella Moss or 7 for All Mankind, though the company does say it's interested in developing technical apparel, footwear and jeans. We're rooting for color-on-demand 7FAMK (or hey, even Wrangler) jeans by 2018.
·VF Corp. opening Alameda innovation office [The San Francisco Business Times]
·VF Corporation [Official Site]
·American Eagle Opens Tech Center in SF [Racked SF]