The biggest retailer in the country, Walmart, is now taking advantage of back-to-school sales to try again for credibility in fashion. The 30-year-old brand for teens and young adults will be relaunched by the firm with a new 130-piece autumn collection targeted at Generation Z.
The No Boundaries label is being redesigned as part of an effort to entice people to consider Walmart as a destination for stylish clothing in addition to food.
The latest collection features trendy pieces including bomber jackets, cropped T-shirts, faux leather corsets, and loose jeans. Most products are $15 or less. In an effort to appeal to a generation that values sustainability, certain items are constructed from recycled textiles. To be more accessible, the size range was extended to include sizes XXS through 5X.
The redesigned No Boundaries is being promoted by the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company on Roblox, YouTube, Pinterest, and TikTok. New prototypes will be tested at stores situated in key college towns.
Gen Z’s response to Walmart’s fashion
The target market is becoming aware of it.
When examining the denim rompers and camouflage trousers at a Walmart in Secaucus, New Jersey, where the new No Boundaries were being introduced last week, 16-year-old Za’Kryra Davis said: “It’s basic but cute.”
Shopping at stores like Rue21 and Forever 21, Davis draws inspiration from trends that surface on social media. She has been more willing to purchase clothing at Walmart in recent months because, in her opinion, the items there look more contemporary.
Previously, Walmart’s No Boundaries brand, which primarily comprised everyday essentials like T-shirts and denim, was constructed by several vendors, each with its own design team. To construct the relaunch collection, the business engaged a specialized design team, indicating the brand’s significance to Walmart’s wider fashion strategy.
However, considering Walmart’s fierce competition, gaining over clients born between 1997 and 2012 may be difficult.
The digital native generation is recognized for being budget-careful and open to shopping around; they frequently visit bargain retailers like Target, mall-based stores like American Eagle Outfitters, and ultra-fast fashion online retailer Shein.
Influencing Gen Z’s shopping habits
Olivia Meyer, 22, of Riverview, Florida, takes her fashion inspiration from online trends and usually orders her clothes from Amazon to guarantee speedy delivery. She was browsing Walmart’s website for the fall No Boundaries collection when she noticed the strappy tops and cargo pants that caught her eye.
“I’m not loyal to one place,” Meyer stated. However, she added: “I think Walmart has a shot at targeting Gen Z and getting our dollars.”
Retailers are keen to recruit young consumers because they represent the future, according to Neil Saunders, managing director of research firm GlobalData, even though Gen Z spends the least on fashion of any generational group aside from the so-called Silent Generation.
He warned: “You run the risk of them going to a rival if you don’t capture them today.” “Walmart is attempting to alter its image as it has not historically catered to this younger audience.”
Walmart claims that No Boundaries brings in $2 billion in sales annually, but Saunders believes that the figures have remained flat for a while. According to him, the company needs to dispel the myth that its ambitions for design stop at flowery patterns, pull-on pants, and other looks that are more popular with older individuals.
Walmart’s strategy for fashion credibility
Three years ago, Walmart made a strong statement about its desire to be seen seriously as a fashion destination when it appointed American designer Brandon Maxwell, who has clothed Lady Gaga and other celebrities, as the creative director for its “elevated” fashion brands, Free Assembly and Scoop.
The brand invited stylish yet budget-conscious social media celebrities to a fashion presentation in February that showcased Maxwell’s luxury line, available at upscale Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
“My work is always defined by the women in my life, and that’s not any different at Walmart,” Maxwell remarked as she spoke with the Walmart guests at the luncheon following the performance.
Walmart has incorporated mannequins into its stores and brightly colored displays of its apparel to enhance its credibility as a one-stop shop for style enthusiasts. The company has teamed with celebrities like Sofia Vergara and showcased over 1,000 products under the direction of Executive Vice President of Apparel and Private-Label products, Denise Incandela.
At a recent industry conference held in New York, Incandela stated that Walmart’s size—it has over 4,600 shops nationwide—can encourage both low costs and high quality. But she added that the Gen Z consumer, who “cares about style”, represents the clothing industry’s biggest development potential.
“We have created a brand that is more modern, has better quality, has silhouettes that are more relevant to the Gen Z customer,” Incandela mentioned. “We’re improving the shopping experience, but we have to change that perception.”
Elizabeth Fernandez, 58, and her daughter Destiny Fernandez, 38, expressed their satisfaction with the women’s clothing selection at the Secaucus Walmart. The revised No Boundaries line also drew them in. Their shopping basket was filled to overflowing with skirts, tops, jeans, and shorts from all across the store.
Destiny Fernandez thought Walmart had done a good job of recycling and updating past trends, pointing to the cropped puffer jackets and various denim washes on the racks.
“It’s all stuff that is coming back,” she said. “So I am going to take a look.”
(Tashia Bernardus)