Walmart has redesigned their adult clothing assortment over the past three years to make it both fashionable and affordable for middle-class consumers. The biggest retailer in the country is now taking advantage of back-to-school sales to try again for credibility in fashion, reported ABC News.
On Tuesday, 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.
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 was primarily comprised of everyday essentials like T-shirts and denim, was constructed by a number of vendors, each with their 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.
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.
Meyer declared, "I'm not loyal to one place." "I think Walmart has a shot at targeting Gen Z and getting our dollars," she continued, nonetheless.
Retailers are keen to recruit young consumers because they represent the future, according to Neil Saunders, managing director of research firm GlobalData, despite the fact that 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 wants to dispel the myth that its ambitions for style stop at pull-on pants, flower prints, and other looks better suited for older people.
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.