NASDAQ: VRA

Our Brand

The reportable segments within the Vera Bradley brand are VB Direct and VB Indirect.

VB Direct. The VB Direct business consists of sales of Vera Bradley products through Vera Bradley full-line and outlet stores in the United States; e-commerce sites (verabradley.com, outlet.verabradley.com, and international.verabradley.com); direct to consumer marketplaces; and typically the Vera Bradley annual outlet sale in Fort Wayne, Indiana. As of January 31, 2026, the Company operated 29 full-line stores and 86 outlet stores.

VB Indirect. The VB Indirect business consists of sales of Vera Bradley products to approximately 1,000 specialty retail locations, substantially all of which are located in the United States; sales to department stores, national accounts, and third-party inventory liquidators; and royalties recognized through licensing agreements related to the Vera Bradley brand.

Our History

When they were traveling together in 1982, Fort Wayne, Indiana friends Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia Miller realized there was a lack of stylish travel accessories in the market. Within weeks, the friends created Vera Bradley, named after Ms. Bradley Baekgaard’s mother, and began manufacturing and marketing their distinctive products. The founders, together with past and present members of the executive management team, have been instrumental in our growth and success.

The passion for design and customer service established by our founders has driven our Company for over 40 years and remains the cornerstone of Vera Bradley, Inc. today. Ms. Baekgaard retired from Vera Bradley operations in 2017 and retired from the Board of Directors in March 2025 but continues to serve in a Director Emeritus role and as a brand ambassador. Ms. Miller retired as our National Spokesperson in October 2012 and from the Board of Directors in August 2019.

Enterprise Vision and Growth Strategies

Over the long term, we are committed to driving long-term growth, generating strong cash flow, and returning capital to shareholders.

During fiscal 2026, we began execution of Project Sunshine, a comprehensive strategy to strengthen our market position by tapping into our brand’s strong emotional connection with consumers. We are simplifying decision-making, removing organizational complexity, and focusing resources on high-impact initiatives. This operational focus, paired with prudent cost management, will allow us to invest in the brand, innovation, and customer experiences, all while driving shareholder value. These improvements are about agility — building a responsive organization to fully leverage our unique brand position.

4

Table of Contents

Through the five pillars outlined below, Project Sunshine will reclaim Vera Bradley's joyful optimism while fueling operational success.

Sharpening Brand Focus: We are refining our brand strategy to ensure consistent, resonant messaging across all consumer touchpoints. We are revisiting product assortment and style, reintroducing innovation to our core DNA, and emphasizing our heritage in occasion-based bags. At the same time, we are leaning into our cotton heritage, increasing the penetration of cotton across the assortment and reinforcing the material authenticity that defines our brand.

Rewiring our digital ecosystem: We are aligning all consumer touchpoints with a cohesive omnichannel experience, ensuring clear brand identity and channel roles supported by cohesive storytelling for customer acquisition and retention.

Outlet 2.0: We are redefining our outlet strategy by enhancing the customer experience with curated assortments, optimized visuals, and labor efficiency. This transformation will elevate brand engagement and drive profitability, positioning outlets as key drivers of our brand evolution.

Resetting our go-to-market: We are scrutinizing every aspect of our operating processes including product development, store labor, promotional strategies, and more to improve efficiency. This holistic review will sharpen focus on high-impact initiatives and retail KPIs across all channels.

Reimagining How We Work: We are restructuring our organization to foster collaboration, creativity, and efficiency. As we align our talent and leadership with key growth areas, we are redesigning our structure to drive transformation and streamline costs.

Our Product Release Strategy

On average, we typically introduce new collections monthly. Each launch typically consists of one to three signature cotton-quilted prints, as well as other fabrications including Featherweight, Leather, Performance Twill, and nylon, some of which are also available in solid colors. These collections of prints and solids are incorporated into the designs of a wide range of products, including bags, accessories, and travel items. These collections typically include classic styles, updates to existing designs, and new product introductions.

To keep our assortment current and fresh, and to focus our inventory investments on our best performers, we discontinue prints and fabrications as necessary. We sell our remaining inventory of retired products primarily through our websites (including our online outlet site), outlet stores, third-party liquidators, and historically our annual outlet sale.

The following chart presents net revenues generated by each of the Company’s product categories and other revenues as a percentage of our total net revenues for fiscal years 2026, 2025, and 2024.

Fiscal Year Ended

January 31,

2026February 1,

2025February 3,

2024

Bags45.2 %44.0 %41.5 %

Travel26.9 %25.4 %23.7 %

Accessories12.9 %15.0 %16.3 %

Home8.0 %9.0 %10.8 %

Apparel/Footwear3.2 %3.7 %5.0 %

Other (1)
3.8 %2.9 %2.7 %

Total100.0 %100.0 %100.0 %

(1)Includes primarily stationery, licensing, freight, merchandising, and gift card breakage revenue.

Bags. Bags are a core part of our product offerings and are the primary component of every seasonal assortment. The category consists of classic and new styles developed by our product development team. Our bag product category includes items such as backpacks, totes, crossbodies, lunch bags, satchels, clutches, and baby bags. Bags play a prominent role in our visual merchandising, and we showcase the different fabrications, patterns, colors, and features of each bag.

Travel. Our travel product category includes rolling luggage, cosmetics, travel and packing accessories, and travel bags which include our iconic duffel and weekend bags. The first Vera Bradley product offering included duffel bags, which have

5

Table of Contents

consistently been strong performers. We believe their popularity, as well as the appeal of our other travel items, results from our vibrant designs, functional styles, and lightweight fabrications.

Accessories. Accessories include Vera Bradley-branded fashion accessories such as ID holders, lanyards, wallets, wristlets, eyewear, various technology accessories, and bag charms. We believe our accessories are attractively priced and allow the consumer to include some color in her wardrobe. Our product development teams consistently update the accessories assortment based on consumer demand and fashion trends.

Home. Our home category includes textiles, including throw blankets and beach towels, as well as items such as mugs and tumblers.

Apparel/Footwear. Our apparel and footwear category includes, among other items, Vera Bradley sleepwear, outerwear, slippers, and socks.

Product Development

We have implemented a fully-integrated and cross-functional product development process that aligns design, trend and market research, merchandising, planning, sales, marketing, and sourcing. We believe product development is a core capability that makes our products unique and that our designs and aesthetics set our products apart and drive customer loyalty. Our design and product development teams combine an understanding of the desires of our target customers, with knowledge of upcoming color, material, consumer, and fashion trends to design new collections, as well as new product categories.

We typically begin the development stage of our products in the Vera Bradley portfolio twelve to eighteen months in advance of their release. The development of each new pattern includes the design of a primary print and sometimes a secondary coordinating print. All print development is managed by our internal print design team. Once developed, we generally copyright our patterns as appropriate. We believe that great design is not only central to our products, but also is a fundamental part of our brand development and growth strategies.

Our design team works to ensure that new collections contain an assortment of products and styles that are in line with both trends and customer desires and regularly updates classic styles to enhance functionality. Our team monitors fashion trends and customer needs by typically attending trend and industry shows, subscribing to trend monitoring services, and engaging in comparison shopping.

Our product development team works closely with our marketing and merchandising teams to gather consumer insights through a variety of methodologies, including seasonal market research, in-store testing, scheduled interviews, and online and in-person surveys conducted by our internal team. Our work is also informed in part by market data analysis provided through our membership in industry services and organizations. The design and product development teams work to ensure that we offer products that are constructed to meet our design, function, construction, and quality standards in a cost-effective manner. We believe that, with our cross-functional, collaborative approach, we are able to introduce and market our products in a way that clearly communicates the Vera Bradley brand.

In addition to products developed in-house, we also pursue brand extensions through strategic partnerships, licensing agreements, and brand collaborations. We currently have licenses in place for eyewear; bedding and bath textiles; sleep and loungewear; and stationery/drinkware. We also have licensing agreements with NFL, Disney Consumer Products, Peanuts Worldwide, NBC Universal, Warner Brothers, and NCAA (collegiate). We will continue to look for the right strategic partners and licensees that can augment the brand and provide established distribution networks for certain categories of business. Additional arrangements will be launched in fiscal 2027.

Marketing

We believe that the growth of our brand and our business is influenced by our ability to introduce and sell our merchandise in a way that clearly conveys the Vera Bradley brand personality. We use marketing as a critical tool in our efforts to promote our brand.

We are continually focused on looking for new ways to creatively engage and retain our customers, grow brand awareness, and introduce new customers to our brand in a cost-effective manner.

Our marketing platform will continue to be a blend of digital and more traditional channels, such as email, paid digital, social media, quality media placements, public relations, and direct mail. Our marketing efforts are increasingly reflective of our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. The goal of our 360-brand marketing program is to drive brand awareness and desirability, as well as connect with consumers where they are.

6

Table of Contents

We will continue to drive social media engagement by amplifying user-generated content, growing our influencer and content creation programs, further enhancing social storytelling and social selling, expanding TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook engagement.

Retention Advertising. We communicate with our established customers consistently throughout the year with regular e-mails, social media, and SMS, as well as seasonal direct mail related to the Vera Bradley brand. Our retention advertising is geared to keeping Vera Bradley top of mind with our customers, rewarding our customers, and providing them with news of our seasonal launches, new product introductions, and VB Foundation initiatives.

New Customer Acquisition Advertising. We primarily employ digital (i.e., paid social media, paid search, affiliate) and direct mail (catalog, postcards) advertising to increase overall brand awareness and attract new customers.

Public Relations and Product Placement. Vera Bradley has received considerable editorial exposure in the press, with mentions in Travel & Leisure, People, Real Simple, Today, US Weekly, Good Morning America, Refinery 29, Southern Living, Glamour, Seventeen, Elle, Women's Wear Daily, Pop Sugar, and Good Housekeeping. In addition, we have expanded our public relations efforts to reach popular online influencers and content creators.

Partnerships. During fiscal 2026, we reinforced our position as a company empowering women by aligning our efforts to support the Vera Bradley Breast Cancer Foundation.

Social Media and Online Marketing. We use online marketing and social networking sites as tools to increase brand awareness and drive traffic to our e-commerce sites (verabradley.com, outlet.verabradley.com, and international.verabradley.com) and to our Vera Bradley stores. Vera Bradley can be found on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Pinterest, and YouTube.

We have captured approximately 2.6 million active subscribed customer e-mail addresses in our online customer file, with many of these customers providing age, occupation, and location data. This information provides us with deeper insight into the products and categories that are of the highest interest to our customers and allows us to better target our customers with appropriate messages. As of January 31, 2026, we had approximately 1.9 million Facebook followers, and nearly 100,000 TikTok followers. Our Instagram has grown to approximately 660,000 followers and is our most highly engaged social medium. In addition, we often partner with brand-right influencers to promote our products.

Mall Advertising. We had representation in key markets with mall partner participation. Collaborations and holiday promotions were the primary focus for our retail store locations. The outlet channel participated in center marketing throughout the year highlighting key seasonal moments, such as: Spring Break, Back to School, Labor Day, and Holiday.

Direct Mail. Vera Bradley mailers are a vehicle for promoting the Vera Bradley brand and product portfolio. Each mailer is sent to a targeted customer mailing list. We believe our direct mail medium generates excitement and awareness about the Vera Bradley brand and allows us to reach both new and loyal customers in their homes. We use direct mail for prospecting, customer retention, and reactivation.

Seasonality

Because Vera Bradley products are frequently given as gifts, we have historically realized, and expect to continue to realize, higher sales and operating income in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year, which includes the holiday months of November and December. In addition, our products are popular during back-to-school periods of August and September. Fluctuations in sales and operating income in any fiscal quarter are affected by the timing of seasonal wholesale shipments, licensing agreement product launches, and other events affecting retail sales.

Channels of Distribution

We distribute our Vera Bradley products through our VB Direct (including e-commerce and retail stores) and VB Indirect segments primarily through e-commerce, wholesale retailers, and retail stores. This multi-channel distribution model is designed to enable operational flexibility and maximizes the methods by which we can access potential customers.

Vera Bradley Direct Segment

Full-Line Stores. We have developed a retail presence through our full-line stores, all located in the United States, which provides us with a format to showcase our brand and the full array of Vera Bradley products. As of January 31, 2026, we operated 29 full-line stores averaging approximately 2,000 square feet per store. Our sales associates are passionate about our products and customer service, which we believe translates into a superior shopping experience.

7

Table of Contents

Outlet Stores. Our outlet stores are a vehicle for selling styles made specifically for our outlet channel, as well as retired merchandise at discounted prices, while maintaining brand integrity. Typically, approximately 97% of the merchandise found in our outlet stores consists of exclusive styles. Outlet stores are an integral part of our distribution strategy, as this format provides an additional channel of distribution for our products and enables us to better target value-oriented customers. Our outlet stores average approximately 3,500 square feet per store. As of January 31, 2026, we operated 86 outlet stores, all located in the United States.

Store Location Selection Strategy. Our store location decisions for both full-line and outlet stores are made based upon our comprehensive retail strategy that includes actual and planned penetration in both Indirect and Direct segments, as well as existing e-commerce demand. While we forecast that we will close additional underperforming full-line stores, we believe that long-term expansion of our store base is necessary to increase brand awareness and reinforce our brand image by contributing to our omni-channel retail strategy. In addition to analyzing store economics, we pay particular attention to the location within the shopping center, the size and shape of the space, and co-tenancies. Along with seeking co-tenants that we believe share our target customer, we seek a balanced mix of moderate and high-end retailers to encourage high levels of traffic.

Store Operations. The focus of our store operations is providing consumers with a comfortable and memorable shopping experience. We strive to make the experience interactive through special store events. Our customer service philosophy emphasizes friendly service, merchandise knowledge, and passion for the brand. Consequently, an essential requirement for the success of our stores is our ability to attract, train, and retain talented, highly motivated district managers, store managers, and sales associates.

E-Commerce. We sell our products through the Vera Bradley websites (verabradley.com, international.verabradley.com, and outlet.verabradley.com) as well as direct to consumer marketplaces. The objective of these websites is to provide both a mechanism for marketing directly to consumers and a storefront where consumers can find the entire full-line Vera Bradley collection. In November 2023, we transformed the online outlet from a flash-sale model to an everyday extension of our outlet stores. This brought new customers to the brand and helped offset weakness in the outlet store channel. We had over 57 million visits to verabradley.com and outlet.verabradley.com during fiscal 2026.

Annual Outlet Sale. Our annual outlet sale is typically held in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The annual outlet sale is an important tradition for Vera Bradley, has many loyal followers, and is an opportunity for us to sell our retired merchandise at discounted prices in a brand-right fashion. We will not be holding our annual outlet sale in fiscal 2027, as we focus on inventory for our stores and look to elevate the overall customer and brand experience of this event and will evaluate its return in future years.

Vera Bradley Indirect Segment

As of January 31, 2026, we sold our products in approximately 1,000 specialty retail locations, as well as department stores, national accounts, and third-party inventory liquidators, as well as through licensing agreements. We currently sell our products in approximately 270 department store locations as well as Amazon.com and other third party marketplaces.

The top 25% of our specialty retailers account for approximately 81% of total specialty retailer revenue. No single Indirect retailer represented more than 5% of consolidated net revenues in fiscal 2026, with the top ten Indirect retailers representing in the aggregate, approximately 75% of total Indirect segment net revenues. The majority of our Indirect retailers have been customers for over five years.

Indirect Sales Force

We believe that having a combination of an in-house sales force and a third-party agency, covering certain geographies, results in a more consistent brand presentation and messaging, enhanced support for our Indirect customers, and a more predictable, scalable, and cost-efficient business model.

In addition to acquiring new and growing existing accounts, our sales team serves as a support center for our Indirect customers by assisting and educating them in areas such as merchandising and visual presentation, marketing the brand, product selection, and inventory management. Our visual merchandising program provides our sales consultants with a framework to guide our Indirect customers regarding optimal product placement and display that is intended to reinforce the message that our brand is distinctive.

8

Table of Contents

Manufacturing and Supply Chain Model

Our multi-country manufacturing and supply chain model is designed to achieve efficient, timely, and accurate order fulfillment while maintaining appropriate levels of inventory.

Our manufacturing and sourcing strategy is part of the larger cross-functional product development process. The overall objective for our sourcing team is to build and sustain collaborative partnerships throughout our supply chain, with a focus on identifying appropriate countries and partners to manufacture our products while maintaining and focusing on flexibility. Our sourcing team leverages its expertise in negotiation, relationship management, flexibility, and change management to maintain a strong, diverse global supply chain. Our sourcing team also focuses on achieving the right balance of production sites and countries of origin to mitigate the risk of concentrated production, including potential incremental tariffs.

We strive to maintain the appropriate balance of inventory to enable us to provide a high level of service to our customers, including prompt and accurate delivery of our products at a reasonable cost. We believe that we have an active and nimble sales and operations planning process that helps us balance the supply and demand issues that we encounter in our business, optimize our inventory levels, and anticipate inventory needs. We have also integrated our Vera Bradley planning, forecasting, and segmentation processes under one function called Merchandise Planning and Allocation.

Approximately 53% of Vera Bradley product sales are derived from cotton-based materials. Our remaining fabrics and materials including leather, fleece, polyester, nylon, and microfiber. We work with fabric mill partners across Asia and work with leather tannery partners in South Korea and Europe. Most of our non-cotton fabrics are sourced in China and South Korea. The majority of our cotton-based products are sourced from Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Our global sourcing team identifies, evaluates, and selects suppliers to fulfill the sourcing strategy. Conducting market analysis and supplier assessment to identify potential partners are integral to maintaining a competitive edge and driving profitability. The global sourcing team collaborates with carefully selected and screened suppliers to negotiate contracts and agreements, balance cost, lead time, quality, and reliability across our supplier network and maximize operational efficiency. Developing a long-term and mutually beneficial relations with suppliers and to foster collaboration and innovation is an important part of our sourcing matrix. The global sourcing team ensures a diversified supplier base to minimize single source dependency and is also monitoring geopolitical factors and market trends to anticipate and mitigate supply chain risks.

We proactively manage raw materials cost fluctuations through securing early bookings at strategically favorable times. All of our suppliers must comply with our quality standards, and we use only a limited number of pre-approved suppliers who have demonstrated a commitment to delivering the highest quality products. We are continually updating our factory audit process and building a better compliance program to ensure our vendor code of conduct is met.

We partner with BetterWork to conduct our factory audits. BetterWork brings diverse groups together (governments, global brands, factory owners, unions, and workers) to improve working conditions in the garment industry and make the sector more competitive. These audits encompass the Vera Bradley brand as they relate to our purchases in Cambodia.

The Company has implemented a formal forced labor compliance program consisting of vendor due diligence procedures, supply chain mapping, and cotton fiber verification utilizing third-party isotope testing services.

The majority of our Vera Bradley finished goods, not sourced through licenses or strategic partners, are manufactured by a variety of global manufacturers located primarily in Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, and the Philippines. With the oversight of our office in Hong Kong and our independent contractors, we believe financial benefits have been realized without sacrificing the level of quality inherent in our products or service to our customers.

Distribution Centers

Vera Bradley owns a 428,500 square-foot distribution center in Roanoke, Indiana. This facility allows Vera Bradley employees to receive information directly from the order-collection center and quickly identify the products and quantities necessary to fulfill a particular order. The facility’s technology enables us to accurately process and pack orders, as well as track shipments and inventory. We believe that our systems for the processing and shipment of orders from our distribution center have enabled us to improve our overall customer service through enhanced order accuracy and reduced turnaround time; however, we continue to make technology and automation enhancements to our distribution center processes to promote optimal output.

Vera Bradley products are shipped primarily via third-party common carriers to our stores, our Indirect retailers, and directly to our customers who purchase through our website. We believe we are positioned well to support the order fulfillment requirements of our business, including business generated through our website.

9

Table of Contents

Management Information Systems

We believe that high levels of automation and technology are essential to maintain our competitive position. We maintain computer hardware, applications, and networks to enhance and accelerate the design process, to support the sale and distribution of our products to our customers, and to improve the integration and efficiency of our operations. Our information systems are designed to provide, among other things, enterprise class business management, comprehensive order processing for all commerce channels, production, accounting, and management information and analytics for the product development, retail, sales, marketing, distribution, finance, and human resources functions of our business. Our ERP, POS, Business Intelligence, and Order Management systems are on cloud-based platforms, streamlining and simplifying our work and providing for additional capabilities such as multi-company operations on the same platform. We continue to assess our on-premise and cloud-based technology solutions in an effort to ensure we have the optimal solutions for our business.

Competition

We face strong competition in each of the product lines and markets in which we compete. We believe that all of our products are in similar competitive positions with respect to the number of competitors they face and the level of competition within each product line. Due to the number of different products we offer, it is not practicable for us to quantify the number of competitors we face. Our products compete with other branded products within their product categories and with private label products sold by retailers. Moreover, the general availability of contract manufacturing allows new entrants to relatively easily access the markets in which we compete, which may increase the number of competitors and adversely affect our competitive position and our business. We compete against other independent retailers, department stores, catalog retailers, gift retailers, and Internet businesses that engage in the retail sale of similar products.

The market for handbags and accessories, in particular, is highly competitive. Our competitors include not only established companies that are expanding their production and marketing of handbags and accessories, but also frequent new entrants to the market. We directly compete with wholesalers and direct sellers of branded handbags and accessories.

In varying degrees, depending on the product category involved, we compete on the basis of design (aesthetic appeal), quality (construction), function, price point, distribution, and brand positioning. We believe that our primary competitive advantages are consumer recognition of our brands, customer loyalty and engagement, product development expertise, and our widespread presence through our multi-channel distribution model. Some of our competitors have achieved significant recognition for their brand names or have substantially greater financial, distribution, marketing, and other resources than we do. Further, we may face new competitors and increased competition from existing competitors as we expand into new markets and increase our presence in existing markets.

Copyrights and Trademarks

For Vera Bradley, the development of new patterns includes the design of primary and secondary prints. Once developed, we generally copyright our patterns as appropriate. We currently have approximately 1,450 copyrights related to the Vera Bradley business.

We also own the material trademark rights used in connection with the production, marketing, and distribution of all of our products, both in the United States and in the other countries in which our products are principally sold. Our trademarks include “Vera Bradley.” We aggressively police our trademarks and copyrights and pursue infringers and counterfeiters both domestically and internationally. Our trademarks will remain in existence for as long as we continue to use and renew them in advance of their expiration dates. We have no material patents.

Human Capital

Equal employment opportunities are available to all persons at Vera Bradley, Inc. without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, age, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status or any other category protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. We put this standard into practice through our hiring, training, and an annual affirmative action program.

As of January 31, 2026, we had approximately 1,360 employees. Of the total, approximately 985 were engaged in retail selling positions; approximately 210 were engaged in distribution, sourcing and quality functions; approximately 15 were engaged in product design; and approximately 150 were engaged in corporate support and administrative functions. None of our employees are represented by a union. We believe that our relations with our employees are good, and we have never encountered a significant work stoppage other than as related to temporary stoppages necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

10

Table of Contents

Project Quilt. Our Company-wide diversity and inclusion initiative, Project Quilt, continues to enhance diversity, equality, and inclusion, focusing on three key areas – the Associate Experience, the Customer Experience, and the Community Experience. The goal of the program is to make all associates feel welcome and a part of the Vera Bradley community.

Engagement. Vera Bradley believes it is critical to engage its different stakeholders in order to understand their views, values, and ideas and to design a more responsible environment for all involved. This stakeholder group includes associates. The Company engages its associates through surveys, town halls, and focus groups. Collectively, the Company's success is based upon the unique value of each person's contributions. Our long-term success depends on talented and engaged associates. Typically, we conduct an associate engagement survey each year in order to better understand our associates’ insights into our Company’s strengths and opportunities. The feedback gave us insight into improvement opportunities and is instrumental in decisions we make to shape, strengthen, and improve our Company. As a result of the survey feedback, over the last several years we have made meaningful improvements to benefits, career development, compensation, mental health and wellness programs, and our facilities. We believe listening to our associates’ feedback provided through the annual engagement survey continually strengthens our corporate culture.

In addition to the annual engagement survey, the Company facilitates ongoing dialogue with associates through internal focus groups such as the Sunshine Collective. This group meets regularly with members of middle management and serves as a forum to share information from leadership across business areas and to gather feedback from representatives regarding their respective teams and functions. The Sunshine Collective helps management better understand associate sentiment, identify potential areas of concern or opportunity, and maintain an ongoing pulse on employee engagement across the organization.

Pay and Benefits. The Company offers competitive pay packages that include market-competitive base and hourly compensation, healthcare, a 401(k) savings plan that includes a Company contribution match, paid time off (including for volunteerism), and an Employee Assistance Program.

Leadership Programs. Our associates are our biggest asset and when they win, we all win. We recognize everyone in the Company has the ability to lead by example and influence others in a positive way that ultimately provides meaningful value and will make us stronger. Our long-term initiative, Leaders by Design, encourages our associates to grow as leaders through new associate orientation and onboarding, formal training programs, mentorship programs, job shadowing and career-pathing programs and development, including THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE®, a globally recognized, research-based leadership development program designed to enhance leadership effectiveness.

Associate Safety. Associate safety and well-being is of paramount importance to our Company. We have a comprehensive employee safety program, WorkWISE Wellness, that focuses on overall employee health and safety. The WorkWISE Wellness program emphasizes our high standard of safety throughout all operations of the organization. The program and its materials, including a comprehensive Safety Manual, addresses a variety of topics including reporting injuries, OSHA compliance, and emergency procedures (related to workplace violence, active shooters, severe weather and blood-borne pathogens, among others). Policies are routinely communicated, and training is provided to associates as appropriate.

Government Regulation

Many of our imported products are subject to existing or potential duties or tariffs that may limit the quantity of products that we may import into the United States and other countries or impact the cost of such products. Customs duties have not comprised a material portion of the total cost of a majority of our products. In addition, we are subject to foreign governmental regulation and trade restrictions, including U.S. retaliation against prohibited foreign practices, with respect to our product sourcing and international sales operations.

We are subject to federal, state, local, and foreign laws and regulations governing environmental matters, including the handling, transportation, and disposal of our products and our non-hazardous and hazardous substances and wastes, as well as emissions and discharges into the environment, including discharges to air, surface water, and groundwater. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could result in costs for corrective action, penalties, or the imposition of other liabilities. Compliance with environmental laws and regulations has not had a material effect upon our capital expenditures, earnings, or competitive position. If we violate any laws or regulations, however, it could have a material adverse effect on our business or financial performance.

11

Table of Contents

Information About Our Executive Officers

The following table sets forth certain information concerning each of our executive officers:

NameAgePosition(s)

Ian Bickley62Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, Vera Bradley, Inc.

Martin Layding55Chief Operating & Financial Officer, Vera Bradley, Inc.

Mark C. Dely50Chief Administrative & Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Vera Bradley, Inc.

Melinda Paraie63Chief Brand Officer, Vera Bradley, Inc.

Ian Bickley serves as our Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Bickley was appointed permanent Chief Executive Officer in March 2026 after serving as our Interim Chief Executive Officer since July 2025. Mr. Bickley has been a member of our Board of Directors since November 2024. Mr. Bickley previously held numerous leadership roles during his nearly 25-year tenure with Coach, including serving for more than 10 years as President of the company’s International Group. Earlier in his career, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Coach Japan. Mr. Bickley also served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of The Body Shop and President of Global Business Development at Tapestry. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Crocs and Brilliant Earth.

Martin Layding was named Chief Financial Officer in June 2025 and was promoted to also serve as the Chief Operating Officer in March 2026. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Layding served in Chief Financial Officer roles across several organizations. Most recently, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Noodle Partners. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer at Rohrer Corporation, Function of Beauty, and several private equity backed firms, including for the Supreme Brand. Earlier in his career, Mr. Layding held finance leadership roles at Tapestry, including as divisional Chief Financial Officer for the Coach brand. He began his career in finance roles at Procter & Gamble.

Mark C. Dely joined the Company in August 2016 as our Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary and was promoted to also serve as the Chief Administrative Officer in September 2017. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Dely served as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Secretary of Fred’s, Inc.. Earlier in his career, he served as Vice President and Divisional General Counsel of the Franchise Services Group for The ServiceMaster Company, where he led the legal function for the company’s global franchise businesses. Mr. Dely previously served as the first in-house counsel for Delta & Pine Land Company and began his legal career at Fried Frank.

Melinda Paraie joined the Company in November 2025 as Chief Brand Officer. From 2018 to 2023, Ms. Paraie served as Chief Executive Officer of Cath Kidston, where she led the brand through a digital transformation, navigated the company through challenging business environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, and oversaw its eventual sale. Prior to that, she spent more than ten years at Tapestry (formerly Coach, Inc.), most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Merchandising for North America and previously for the APAC region. Ms. Paraie also served as Chief Merchandising Officer of John Hardy and, most recently, served as a strategic advisor to several brands, including The Body Shop and Adolfo Domínguez.

Available Information

Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are available free of charge on our website, www.verabradley.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). No information contained on our website is intended to be included as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

12

Table of Contents