Key takeaways:
- Claire’s, which emerged from bankruptcy after a $140 million acquisition by Ames Watson in August 2025, is rolling out a revamped piercing experience across all 900 U.S. stores beginning Aug. 6.
- The relaunch includes new in-store consultation features, expanded jewelry assortments, updated clinical protocols and a full retraining of every certified Piercing Specialist.
- Piercings remain free with the purchase of a starter kit, with options starting at $29.99.
When Carey Brezler, VP of Retail Operations at Claire’s, brought her daughter to a store for her first piercing, she had an experience that a lot of parents can likely relate to.
“She was so excited to choose her earrings and meet with the Piercing Specialist, but she quickly became nervous and decided she was not ready,” Brezler told Retail TouchPoints. “The Piercing Specialist helping her was so patient and kind, telling her that there’s no need to rush and she’d be there for her whenever she’s ready.”
Brezler said it reinforced what she and her team want the Claire’s piercing chair to stand for: a place where customers feel heard, never pressured and excited to come back.
Over nearly five decades, Claire’s has given piercings to 131 million people, and now the company is revamping the experience as part of a broader reset at the company. Last year, Claire’s filed for bankruptcy for the second time in seven years. North American operations were acquired by Ames Watson, a private equity firm that also holds a controlling investment in Lids and other retailers, for $140 million in August 2025. Since then, the company has been rebuilding, hiring former Athleta executive Michelle Goad as Chief Brand Officer in February 2026, with plans to widen the target audience up to age 14 and modernize store presentation.
The piercing relaunch, rolling out this August, is among the most significant operational investments in that reset.
What’s Changing About the In-Store Piercing Experience
Claire’s updated piercing experience centers on making the selection process feel less overwhelming by reducing pressure without removing choice, according to Chief Merchandising Officer Jillian Cueff.
“One of the first things that really struck me was how exciting choosing a piercing can be, but also how overwhelming it can feel when there are so many decisions to make,” Cueff told Retail TouchPoints. “We wanted to take some of that pressure away and make the experience feel even more personalized and fun.”
The new format opens with a one-on-one consultation, where a Piercing Specialist walks customers through options organized by metal type, style and price point. New Inspiration Bars show different placement and styling possibilities, and customers can use try-on sticks to preview stud sizes before committing. After the piercing, specialists review aftercare together with the customer.
The physical space has been redesigned as well. Unrelated products have been cleared from the immediate piercing area, and updated medical trays, tools and equipment create a more standardized setup. The stations, mirrors and piercing certificates have all been refreshed. The design features a new shade of purple called Lilith, which was chosen based on feedback from a Gen Alpha focus group.
“For our Claire’s Girls, the space feels more intentional and confidence-inspiring,” Brezler said.
Pricing hasn’t changed. Piercings remain free with the purchase of a starter kit, beginning at $29.99.
Photo: Claire’s.
Balancing Nostalgia with a New Generation
Many of the parents bringing their children to Claire’s today got their own first piercings there. Brezler said that history is something the company wants to honor without being constrained by it.
“We wanted to preserve the anticipation and celebration people remember while giving the experience a glow up,” she said. “The new space still feels unmistakably Claire’s, but details such as the refreshed piercing certificates, mirrors for capturing the moment and celebratory touches help make every visit feel transformational and worthy of the milestone.”
Cueff put it more directly: “Claire’s may feel nostalgic for parents, but we want this generation to have a milestone that feels like theirs.”
That generational balance also showed up in merchandising decisions. Starter earrings are available in 14-karat gold, 24-karat gold-plated medical-grade stainless steel, medical-grade titanium and medical-grade stainless steel. Beyond classic studs, the assortment now includes cubic zirconia, celestial motifs, colorful stones and expanded single-stud options for customers adding to an existing ear stack.
“We are increasingly merchandising with the full ear in mind rather than treating each piercing or earring as an isolated purchase,” Cueff said.
Photo: Claire’s.
How Piercing Trends Have Shaped the Relaunch
The expanded assortment reflects shifts in how customers think about earrings. Ear stacking, once a niche styling choice, has become mainstream, and demand for individual studs has grown alongside it. Claire’s has been tracking those changes closely.
“Our team pays close attention to what customers are responding to in stores and what they are sharing or discovering on social media,” Cueff said. “Being on trend, on time is central to how we merchandise, so our assortment continues to evolve alongside the conversations our Claire’s Girls are already having.”
Consumer feedback directly shaped the Inspiration Bars. Parents said they wanted reassurance and expertise. Gen Alpha customers said they wanted more choice, personalization and an experience exciting enough to share.
“That feedback shows up throughout the design, from the Inspiration Bar and try-on sticks to a new browsing system that makes it easier to explore studs by metal type, price and style,” Cueff said.
Photo: Claire’s.
The Logistics of Rolling Out a Relaunch
Claire’s is managing the rollout across 900 stores in phases.
The company created a Piercing Excellence Team to rebuild the training program. Every certified Piercing Specialist, regardless of how long they’ve worked at the company, has been retrained. The updated program includes guided practice, in-store mock scenarios and ongoing recertification. Field leaders completed immersive training in July before bringing the curriculum back to store teams.
No location moves to the new experience until its specialists have completed the enhanced training.
“The phased approach allows us to support store teams closely, reinforce standards as we go and apply what we learn throughout the rollout,” Brezler said. “It is a major operational effort, but the consistency of the experience is too important to rush.”
Updated medical trays and enhanced clinical protocols have been standardized across all locations, alongside the brand’s existing FDA-registered, hand-pressurized medical devices and pre-sterilized, single-use earrings.
The full rollout is expected to be complete by fall 2026.
