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)

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