Dive Brief:
- Kohl's on Monday announced a partnership with Lands' End to sell the retailer's entire product line of women's, men's, kids and home goods on Kohls.com starting in the fall, according to a company press release.
- Kohl's will also sell Lands' End products at 150 store locations beginning this fall with a specific focus on seasonal merchandise, including outerwear in the fall and winter and swimwear in the spring and summer.
- Lands' End will offer products in extended sizes and fits including plus, petites, and big and tall for men, women and kids.
Dive Insight:
Lands' End is switching its legacy department store partner.
The apparel retailer originally spun off as an independent company from Sears in 2014, and kept some store-in-store locations at the department store. In 2018, Lands' End stated that it would no longer be "relying on Sears" where it had 180 in-store locations, and in 2019 the apparel retailer revealed that it was taking its final steps away from the department store and effectively winding down the partnership.
Kohl's has formed partnerships with various brands and fashion companies over the years including Nine West, Elizabeth and James, and Jason Wu. The retailer has also made recent moves to expand into different types of tie-ups, including bringing Planet Fitness workout centers adjacent to select stores, and working with WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) on a pilot program to bring studios in-store.
Yet, arguably the most well-known partnership in recent years is with Amazon, focused on in-store returns. Kohl's CEO Michelle Gass said on a recent call with analysts that the program continues to deliver "sequential improvement in traffic," yet it hasn't significantly translated into sales growth, according to analysts.
Partnering with known brand Lands' End may be another contributor to foot traffic, while diversifying the retailer's apparel offerings when it comes to petites, plus sizes, and big and tall.
"We're thrilled to be partnering with Kohl's as we work to meet our customers wherever, however and whenever they want to shop, whether that's online, at our retail stores or — as is often the case — at Kohl's," Lands' End CEO, Jerome Griffith, said in a statement. "We know our customers consistently list Kohl's as one of their primary shopping destinations, and we place great value in meeting them where they are already shopping."
