SMITH BRAIN TRUST – J.Crew is battling some choppy seas. It's had 10 consecutive quarterly sales declines, two straight years of losses, and now the iconic, classic clothier is swimming in more than $2 billion in debt.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST — High-priced luxury handbags are sometimes referred to as “statement pieces,” and for at least some women, the statement they’re making is: “Don’t even try to take my man.” For such women, luxury accessories, such as high-priced designer shoes and handbags, function as “a signaling system directed to other women who pose threats to their romantic relationships,” according to research from Yajin Wang, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Maryland’s Robert H.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST – Can Victoria's Secret get her groove back? Faced with shifts in customer preferences, rising online shopping and fading mall traffic, the queen of lingerie has reported a slowdown in sales and is cautioning that this year's revenue won't be among its perkiest. Now experts are wondering whether the brand can bounce back.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST — U.S. motorists wasted $2 billion in 2015 on premium gasoline that did nothing to improve vehicle performance, a new AAA study shows. Despite the fancy-sounding name, "high-octane" fuel only makes a difference in cars designed for it — which isn’t your Kia Forte.

New research finds people who move more are more connected with the world and donate more to charities outside their local area.

Recently published findings show that wearing and using a luxury good, like a Prada handbag, can lead ordinary people to behave badly.

For others in the luxury retail space, Barneys, crushed by bankruptcy and sold in pieces, is a warning.

Got a video job interview lined up with a big company? It's likely that you're meeting with an AI interviewer, not a human being. Here's how to charm that robot and move on to the next stage.

Target became known for its high-profile, high-fashion collaborations, and for helping upstart designers like Proenza Schouler gain wider brand recognition. Lately, those partnerships have drawn less hype. Here's why that's not all bad for Tarjay.

Chip and Joanna Gaines have made a living knocking down walls, fixing up homes – and building a marketing empire. Now their success is setting a new agenda for big-box retailers and elite fashion houses alike.