Over the last two years, Ann Taylor has made a noticeable effort to bring its apparel and accessories offerings out of the naughts and into the new, uber-fashion-conscious decade. In fact, many industry insiders we've spoken to about AT's reformation have noted: "They're trying be J.Crew." Evidence of this marketing scheme can be found in the retailer's newfound preppy-meets-glam aesthetic. The company also recently inked a deal with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund to host a runway show in Los Angeles this October.

The feel-good company could go for as much as $600 million.

Ann Taylor's going Ivy League. The wear-to-work retailer is looking to lure in clients before they even enter the workforce. But they're not targeting just any college kid preparing to go on job interviews--they're looking to cast five students from Columbia University to model for their online lookbook, which, according to a release, will be "a trusted resource that will provide female college/graduate students with fashion advice and career inspiration across a variety of different industries." This latest announcement fits with Ann Taylor's recent efforts to revive and freshen up the brand: they just signed Katie Holmes as the face of the brand and have been putting out strong J.Crew-esque collections with particularly great accessories for the past few seasons. So it follows that they're targeting a younger clientele.