It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week, and what we’re still thinking about.
From a new agentic commerce role at Ulta to clean dog zoomies, here’s our closeout for the week.
What you may have missed
Head of agentic commerce at Ulta
Ulta Beauty tapped Agustina Sartori as its head of agentic commerce, she said in a LinkedIn post earlier this week. Sartori joined Ulta over seven years ago and most recently served as the retailer’s head of digital innovation.
Executives from the beauty retailer teased some planned AI use cases during The National Retail Federation’s 2026 Big Show in New York City. CEO Kecia Steelman told an audience at the event that Ulta is looking into AI to help improve and personalize its loyalty program. Additionally, Senior Vice President of E-commerce and Digital Josh Friedman in a separate event session said that Ulta is working to develop its own AI agents.
Ulta did not respond to Retail Dive’s requests for details on the new leadership appointment.
David’s Bridal, Adore Me partner
David’s Bridal is partnering with Adore Me for a lingerie collection for the 2026 summer wedding season, according to a press release. The initial collection launched on Thursday, and additional products will drop through June. It features over 20 pieces including bras, panties, sleepwear and lingerie, with everything priced below $65.
Reality TV star and bride-to-be Giannina Milady Gibelli is the face of the campaign.
"Tradition isn't disappearing, it’s being personalized, and that includes what’s underneath the dress,” Kelly Cook, CEO of David’s Bridal, said in a statement. “Partnering with Adore Me lets us serve the bride across her entire lifecycle, from morning-of loungewear to late-night lingerie.”
Adore Me recently ended its intimates subscription offering and converted it to a loyalty program, per parent company Victoria’s Secret & Co.
Retail therapy
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day calls out ‘zoomies’ in latest campaign
If there’s one thing most dog owners can relate to, it’s the zoomies that take over after our furry friends get a bath. You know, the full-sprint, jump-off-the-furniture, throw-your-body-on-the-ground pure joy that many dogs experience after a good wash.
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day is highlighting this phenomenon through a partnership with The Westminster Kennel Club, appropriately dubbed “After Bath Zoomies.” The two came together to create a TikTok filter that generates a “zoomies score” based on a dog’s speed and movement.
"From competition to everyday life, The Westminster Kennel Club is proud to celebrate the individuality and spirit that dogs bring into our lives and homes," Dr. Donald Sturz, president of The Westminster Kennel Club, said in a statement. "After bath energy can be unpredictable but is always memorable — we are excited to share these everyday moments showcasing the universal love of dogs."
What we’re still thinking about
$50M
That’s how much Allbirds netted from an unnamed investor this week to execute its latest business move.
Last month Allbirds said it would be acquired by American Exchange Group, whose portfolio includes Aerosoles. This was a step down for a DTC brand once hailed as a unicorn, but it made sense.
This week, the company – or what’s left of it outside of the shoe business – made a less logical move, announcing it would “pivot its business to AI compute infrastructure, with a long-term vision to become a fully integrated GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) and AI-native cloud solutions provider.” The shift comes with the expectation that the company will rename itself “NewBird AI.”
The dispatch may have been odd but it excited Wall Street, where investors spiked the price of Allbirds shares by as much as 800% at one point, ending the day up nearly 600%.
The news was bereft of the kind of details needed to understand what NewBird AI really has to offer, according to Matt Domo, a co-founder of Amazon’s AWS cloud unit and author of the book “Everybody Wins: The Business Leader's Mission Possible Guide to AI Success." He expects more companies to make similar moves in the next year or 18 months.
“I've seen this movie before. This seems like something to juice the stock, to get some higher return for the investors that are in place – and exit,” Domo said by video conference. “I call it ‘AI washing.’”
The post-Allbirds team would do better to provide more specifics about any unique skills or knowledge that would be a value-add for the market, Domo said.
“That, to me, would have been an easier sell, but they did none of it,” he said.
At press time, the stock had lost much of its earlier gains.
What we’re watching
The continuous executive turnover at Nike
When news hit that Nike’s chief innovation officer was leaving, it was just the latest in a string of executive changes under CEO Elliott Hill — even after Nike said his leadership team was set last June.
Tony Bignell’s departure cements a trend noted by BNP Paribas Equity Research senior analyst Laurent Vasilescu of executives who have left after having their roles elevated. Also in that group are Craig Williams, formerly chief commercial officer, and Angela Dong, who led the brand’s Greater China region.
Bignell’s exit also implies Nike’s turnaround could be further away than initially thought, as it effectively resets the brand’s innovation lever. Whether Nike continues to shed executives, and how upcoming releases fare with consumers, should be good litmus tests of where the recovery is at.
“All turnarounds are led by a new product innovation cycle,” Vasilescu said in emailed comments. “[Bignell’s] abrupt departure would suggest to us that retailers did not respond well to the product assortment showcase designed by Tony Bignell.”
