Scorecard: How Macy's, Kmart and Target Managed Guest Design Launches
Three major apparel collections hit the retail racks over the past few days, each the product of a collaborative deal between a singer/actress and a department store chain. But it's not enough to snag a lucrative contract with star power -- each retailer's management team had to devise a savvy sales strategy to succeed. Here's an initial look what worked. And what didn't.
Madonna's "Material Girl" line for Macy's
Technically, when I reported on Madonna's and Iconix Brand Group's (ICON) joint venture back in March, I knew that only 200 Macy's (M) outlets would be carrying the fruits of the design collaboration. But nothing prepared me for the letdown when I walked into my local Macy's this morning to discover that not only was I not one of the first 200 shoppers lucky enough to win a $10 gift card and free bandeau top but that the relative emptiness of the Junior department meant that this store was not one of the chosen few stocking Material Girl.
The sales associate I asked was very helpful, and seemed as dismayed as I that the store did not make the cut. She told me that the line was too "urban and hip hop" for a suburban outlet such as ours. I asked if sales rank or size of the surrounding area had anything to do with the selection and she guessed that theirs was squarely in the middle
A quick look at Macy's Web site confirms that corporate did indeed select major metro areas such as Atlanta and Portland, OR for its test run of Material Girl threads. The problem is that while Macy's made a to-do of Madonna-size proportions to promote the line -- including allowing Madonna's daughter and co-design partner Lourdes "Lola" Leon to blog and create buzz -- the limited roll out (despite the "exclusive" billing) made Macy's management seem less than committed.
We understand that fast fashion is inherently ephemeral, but with a heavyweight star like the magnificent Madge on the books, Macy's would have done better to place at least a few items from the collection in every store â€" and re-evaluate complete roll outs after back-to-school sales numbers are tallied.
Selena Gomez "Dream Out Loud" for Kmart
Kmart (SHLD) scores major points for quality and styling of its Dream Out Loud collection for Juniors â€" at least for the limited assortment that I scrutinized at my local shop. The skinny jeans were well-priced ($20!), the jeggings (think spawn of tight denim and leggings) were solidly constructed of soft, forgiving cotton, and a striped, knit blazer could just have easily migrated from a teen's closet to an adult's (albeit with different accessories). And the timing couldn't be better for Disney's (DIS) starlet Selena Gomez as her silver screen debut in Ramona and Beezus hit the theaters practically at the same time.
The problem? Kmart's interiors are in desperate need of a makeover. The harsh lighting, dingy floors and haphazard merchandising -- Dream Out Loud accessories were mashed up with Kmart's other proprietary brands with no differentiating signage -- deflated what could have been a stellar shopping experience.
D-Signed for Target
Teen songstress Demi Lovato's character in the hit Disney series Sonny with a Chance was the inspiration for a line of clothing and accessories for tween girls for Target (TGT). As I reported last week, Target is so skilled at designer collaborations, the D-Signed collection should have been a no-brainer. Perhaps that was exactly the problem.
I arrived on roll-out day and found -- no stock. I reminded me of the time I breezed in early on a Sunday morning to see Zac Posen's threads before they'd been pawed by eager chicsters, only to find that not only was it not on the racks, but several of the store employees had no idea what I was asking about.
Undeterred, I went back yesterday and found the D-Signed merchandise on the rounders, after I dug through nearly the whole department. Why? Because there was nothing setting those clothes apart from Target's proprietary brands of (similarly styled) t-shirts, miniskirts, and leggings. Demi Lovato's immediately recognizable mug was nowhere to be found. But perhaps it's not entirely Target's fault. Lovato's toothy grin is conspicuously absent from hang tags or other marketing collateral perhaps because Disney's more heavily invested in the show's brand than its star.
Image via Macy's; thumbnail via Racked NY
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