How Marine Layer Wins Conscious Consumers: Retail Experience, Sustainability & Women in Leadership | NRF

At NRF, we sat down with Alyssa Hampton and Corinne Suarez, senior retail leaders at Marine Layer, to break down what’s actually driving success in modern retail.

Marine Layer has built a fast-growing retail business by focusing on conscious consumers, low-pressure in-store experiences, and a people-first culture—all while scaling to nearly 60 stores and maintaining B Corp values.

In this conversation, we explore:

Why younger generations care deeply about who they buy from

How Marine Layer designs stores as places to hang out, not be sold to

The role of sustainability, recycled materials, and product education

How retail tech supports seamless in-store and online experiences

What women early in their careers need to know about moving from the shop floor to HQ

The importance of mentorship, advocacy, and asking for feedback

Why retail experience builds grit that corporate résumés can’t replace

This episode is essential viewing for retail executives, brand leaders, store operators, and anyone building the future of physical retail.

📍 Recorded live at NRF 🏬 Brand spotlight: Marine Layer 🎙️ Guests: Alyssa Hampton & Corinne Suarez 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Which trend discussed today do you think will impact the industry most? Let us know in the comments below! ⏱️ Chapter Timestamps (Drawn Only From Transcript)

00:00 – Conscious consumers & Marine Layer’s B Corp values 00:25 – Welcome from NRF & guest introductions 01:37 – What is Marine Layer? Brand overview & store growth 02:11 – Refreshing stores to stay relevant 02:33 – The “secret sauce” of Marine Layer retail 03:01 – Low-pressure stores & human connection 03:41 – The future of retail: culture, tech & experience 04:18 – Talent, tech & experiential retail 04:58 – Sustainability, recycling & conscious shopping 05:40 – Educating customers on recycled materials 06:01 – Where Marine Layer fits: quality, not fast fashion 06:48 – Building timeless, wearable products 07:26 – From shop floor to leadership: Alyssa’s journey 08:12 – Career advice for women in retail 09:11 – Speaking up, self-advocacy & mentorship 10:11 – Why mentorship and advocacy matter 11:03 – Asking “why not me?” in your career 11:46 – Feedback, growth & leadership trust 12:54 – Closing thoughts from Marine Layer leaders

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