Dressbarn’s 50-Year Struggle With Its Own Name

Last July a 2,400-pound bull named Count found himself in Manhattan’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood for a photo shoot. To get him to the second-floor studio, the bull’s handler coaxed the massive animal into a freight elevator. Once upstairs, Count was given half an hour to relax before joining supermodel Hilary Rhoda under bright lights. Behind the camera was sought-after French fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier.

The elaborate, star-studded shoot was for Dressbarn—an attempt by the aging discount women’s clothing chain to find relevance. In addition to Count, it featured a sheep, a rooster, and an unruly pig. Even surrounded by barnyard animals, Rhoda looked runway-skinny and sophisticated in heels, dresses, and big earrings. The photos turned into a series of ads with cheeky slogans that began appearing in mid-September. “Think you know Dressbarn? Think again,” one says. “It’s our name. Deal with it,” reads another.