Dive Brief:
- Target will bring Levi’s denim merchandise to 150 additional Target stores by the end of 2026, according to details the retailer shared with Retail Dive. The move will bring the total number of Target locations selling Levi’s nationwide to over 1,000 stores.
- Target said it debuted a refreshed Levi’s assortment earlier this month that includes best sellers and more trend-forward styles. The expansion means Target’s assortment of Levi’s women’s merchandise will grow nearly 20% year over year this spring, with most styles priced under $60.
- The mass retailer reintroduced the Levi’s brand to Target stores in 2011, and it is now one of Target’s longest-standing national partnerships.
Dive Insight:
The Levi’s expansion at Target is the latest in a long list of merchandising assortment announcements from Target in recent months.
"Guests turn to Target to find the styles, brands, and value they love, which is why our partnership with Levi's is so important," Gena Fox, senior vice president of apparel and accessories at Target, said in a statement. "Through our partnership, we're growing Target's denim business by delivering exactly what our guests want: on-trend style, exceptional quality, and unmatched value.”
The mass retailer has been focused on revamping its merchandising assortment under the leadership of its new CEO Michael Fiddelke. The chief executive formally took the reins this month, but Fiddelke’s turnaround approach had been in the spotlight since his appointment was announced in August.
With the goal of regaining merchandising authority, Target has expanded its offerings in recent months. The mass retailer doubled its new merchandise for the recent holiday period, unveiled a new store concept in New York City focused on apparel and announced in January it will add 60 new brands to its beauty assortment.
The wholesale expansion with Target comes as Levi’s parent company, Levi Strauss & Co., has been focused on its direct-to-consumer sales channels.
Levi Strauss & Co. — which operates the Levi's, Levi Strauss Signature and Beyond Yoga brands — reported fourth quarter DTC revenues grew 8% while wholesale declined 5%, per results released in January.
However, wholesale continues to be an important avenue for the company.
“Over the past two years, we've taken bold steps on our journey to become a DTC-first head-to-toe denim lifestyle retailer,” Levi Strauss & Co.’s CEO Michelle Gass told analysts on a call in January. “While DTC continues to drive outsized growth, wholesale continues to be an important channel for us to amplify the brand and reach our consumers where they choose to shop.”
