The RealReal CEO to Be Honored by NRF as Retail Leader
Julie Wainwright is on the National Retail Federation’s 2022 list of “People Shaping Retail’s Future.”

One of the honorees on the 2022 list of “People Shaping Retail’s Future” is The RealReal Founder and CEO Julie Wainwright, the woman behind the luxury consignment giant.
From high-priced handbags to high-end clothing, the retailer sells all types of luxury goods. Its watch and jewelry sales have been doing particularly well.
Wainwright founded The RealReal in 2011 at her kitchen table, visiting consignors at their homes with a U-Haul truck, the company’s website states.
The RealReal now has 18 retail locations where customers can sell, consult with experts, and receive free valuations in person.
The other honorees are Five Below President and CEO Joel Anderson, McDonald’s Corporation President and CEO Chris Kempczinsk, CVS Health Executive Vice President and CVS Pharmacy President Neela Montgomery, and Chewy CEO Sumit Singh.
“This year’s honorees have each led their companies through incredible changes,” said Jeff Gennette, chairman and CEO of Macy’s and chairman of the NRF Foundation Board of Directors, in a press release announcing the honorees.
Over the next several weeks, the NRF Foundation will feature the honorees in a series of videos for a behind-the-scenes look at how they built their careers and what their impact on the retail industry has been.
In Wainwright’s video, she gives a nod to gemologists around the 12-minute mark when highlighting careers in the retail industry some may not think of at first.
She noted the company helps employees receive gemology training and shows them how to authenticate luxury brands.
WATCH: The RealReal’s Julie Wainwright Shares Her Insights
The 2022 NRF Foundation Honors will be held Jan. 16 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square.
The event will be co-hosted by Gennette and National Retail Federation Board Chairman Mike George, who is set to retire this year as president and CEO of Qurate Retail.
For more information about the event, visit the NRF website.
The Latest

The pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.

Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

The virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.

Bench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.

The educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.


The independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.

The debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.

Natural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.

The roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.

The “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.

Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.

Diamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.

The Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.

The longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.

Authorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.

Lotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.

The ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.

The Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.

However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.

The Oscar-nominated actor debuted in the campaign for the new “Top Time B31” collection, which introduced Breitling’s Caliber B31.

The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.

The family-owned retailer is the new owner of Morrison Smith Jewelers in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The “150 Art Deco” collection features a Miss America timepiece and a pocket watch from the brand’s Archive Series.

Alex Wellen, formerly CEO and president of MotorTrend Group, has taken on the role.

The Impact Initiative is part of the nonprofit association’s new three-year strategic plan.

The ruby and the sapphire, which Christie’s calls a “once-in-a-generation masterpiece,” are part of the upcoming Hong Kong jewelry auction.

The two pairs of earrings, snatched from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, are valued at a combined $769,500.