Walmart is having another go at fashion. This time, the retailer is rolling out its own private apparel label, Free Assembly, which will offer a modern take on daily wear essentials at affordable rates.
The company plans to launch the Walmart Fall collection under the new apparel label, which is expected to feature over 30 pieces in the women’s collection, while the men’s collection will feature 25 pieces, Denise Incandela, Walmart’s senior vice president of Women’s Group, Elevated and Online Brands said in a company blog post.
“At its core, this new brand is born from thoughtful, simple design, quality fabrics, modern silhouettes and styles updated for today. It’s as timeless as it is versatile, with wardrobe staples that are easy to mix, layer and assemble freely. These are pieces designed to have staying power,” said Incandela. “With Free Assembly, we have a vision to create a new kind of brand that would entice any fashion shopper. So, we’ve built an in-house fashion design team with decades of experience designing for modern American brands known for mass appeal.”
The development of the new line, which will feature products in the $9 to $45 range, was led by Dwight Fenton, who has previously worked with labels like J. Crew, Old Navy as well as Walmart’s very own Bonobos.
The debut comes after the launch of Walmart’s online-only women’s plus brand, Eloquii, which was acquired two years ago along with other clothing brands such as Bonobos and ModCloth. Last year, however, Walmart sold ModCloth and downsized Bonobos.
So, will this attempt at fashion be a success for Walmart?
Walmart might benefit from taking notes from its competitor, Target, which has had notable success in its fashion business. Target’s approach to private labels has been considered unique in that it creates brands that consumers can recognize and are also more affordable than third-party brands.
Walmart shoppers can expect to shop the new Free Assembly collection online and in select stores.