Target (TGT) and Kohl’s (KSS) are raising the bar in their retail competition.
Shortly after Kohl’s ended talks with Franchise Group (FRG) about a potential buyout, Kohl’s launched its new program called Discover @ Kohls.
Discover @ Kohls is a section of the retailer's floor that will feature new collections featuring gender neutral clothing for youth and have lines that portray inclusivity and positivity. These fashion lines will also feature women-owned businesses, and the fashion lines will be changed out seasonally.
The new drive in fashion will also be giving back. In Discover @ Kohl's, the change in fashions will also introduce new projects in the retailer's commitment to give back. The first charity initiative is through the Gorongosa Coffee Co. The coffee company works with the Gorongosa community in Mozambique, Africa, to help bring about sustainable solutions to the environment. The coffee company donates 100% of the profits to this cause.
Kohl’s is also bringing back the retro Levi’s (LEVI) denim line SilverTab. The 1990’s jeans collection will be available for a limited time only. Adding this lineup is in hopes of coaxing Gen X consumers into the stores to check out the new ‘old’ clothes. Maybe nostalgia will bring a boost for Levi’s and Kohl’s.
Target had a down sales quarter coupled with the challenge of being overstocked on items that weren’t selling well. It didn’t take long for Target to find new ways to create buzz in its available fashion lines. Target recently expanded its partnership with Tabitha Brown, a New York Times Best Selling Author, actress and social media fashion influencer.
Target and Brown had previously partnered on other categories back in May, and the Brown collection expansion will bring more bold, bright colors to the Target aisles. The additional items Target will carry are in swim wear, clothing, accessories, home good, kitchen and more. Target shoppers will see the Brown Collection throughout the store.
Image source: John Smith/VIEWpress.
Kohl’s New Fashion Trends Promote Diversity and Inclusion
Kohl’s recently announced a new fashion line called Sonoma Collection, an exclusive Kohl’s fashion line that celebrates cultures and diversity. The first cultures celebrated in the Sonoma Collection are Hispanic and Latino cultures.
Other cultures that will be featured through the Sonoma Collection will be Lunar New Year, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American Pacific Islander Native Hawaiian Heritage Month, Pride Month and Veterans Day. These collections will focus on ways to express and celebrate the different cultures.
The Future Collective is Now
Target announced its new Future Collective line of fashion developed from a partnership between Target and fashion influencers. The fashion line will be Target-owned, keeping the price point in line with Target consumers. The focus of the Future Collective is to have a rotating line of new diverse fashions offered by Target.
Target's first Future Collective launch is with partner Kahlana Barfield Brown, a fashion and beauty influencer who has worked with Target in the past. Barfield Brown previously worked with Target on the Black Beyond Measure campaign, which featured history of Black colleges and universities. Formerly the beauty editor of InStyle, Brown's style is best described as fashion forward streetwear.
The new fashion line, which launches Sept. 11, includes apparel and accessories for all seasons that depict Barfield Brown’s distinct taste. The versatile clothing will have bold colors and patterns and come in denim, bodysuits, blazers, jackets, and pants. Clothing will be available in sizes from XXS all the way to 4X. Of the 120 items in the collection, most will be available at prices below $35.
Target will be announcing other fashion influencer partners for future installments of the Future Collective, but the list of other influencers has not yet been made public.
