1912 ET - Urban Outfitters is looking to manage its Free People and FP Movement brands as independent divisions to allow each brand to have a distinct voice and pursue different market opportunities. "We have reached a critical inflection point where we no longer view this as parent and sub brand," says Sheila Harrington, who leads the Free People group as well as Urban Outfitters' namesake brand. Harrington says the transition will also maximize each brands' discoverability, boosting the company's competitive positioning as AI rejiggers how brands show up and how consumers shop. "We believe this dual ecosystem approach positions us uniquely for an AI-driven world," she says. (kelly.cloonan@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 20, 2026 19:12 ET (23:12 GMT)

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