Fruit of the Loom launches women's apparel collection

Dive Brief:

Fruit of the Loom is launching a new women's apparel collection, dubbed Seek No Further, that includes not just the basics the brand is famous for but also activewear, pants and dresses, according to a press release emailed to Retail Dive.
The items will be available online only, direct from the company and at Amazon, except for in a two-day pop-up in New York Oct. 12-13, the company also said.
The pop-up will feature three distinct rooms, which each accommodate aspects of a woman's "day in the life," the company said.

Dive Insight:

Fruit of the Loom is joining the athleisure revolution with this collection, and is bypassing its usual retail partners to sell it.

The brand is usually found at stores like J.C. Penney, Sears, Kmart, Target and Walmart, but those first three are struggling these days.

The company joins the likes of Nike, Champion and others in boosting efforts to sell directly to customers. The move to sell on Amazon has been a particularly controversial one for brands in the past, including Nike, mainly because of the e-tailer's tendency to replicate high-performing products and sell them at a lower price. In selling directly to consumers, Fruit of the Loom faces the challenge of connecting with customers based on more than price or convenience, which remain the strongest pull of shopping online. To promote the collection, Fruit of the Loom turned to fashion bloggers and social media influencers Hayet Rida, Caitlyn Warakomski and Olivia Jeanette to emphasize its stylishness and comfort.

The collection aims to simplify shopping for women, according to Karen Kendrick, Fruit of the Loom vice president of brand communications. "Today, women have so many clothing options that finding a look they love can be difficult. We created the Seek No Further collection to help simplify the shopping process, offering a range of styles and colors so they can create multiple looks within the collection or mix and match the pieces seamlessly into their already existing wardrobe."

The collection's prices, higher than its usual underwear and other basics, could benefit from its shipping policy, which includes free ground shipping on orders over $50. Otherwise, ground shipping is $8 and express is $18, and returns are free.