Image Courtesy of JCPenney
Adding credibility to its new “Yes, JCPenney!” brand platform, JCPenney this month introduced diffusion lines from designers Rebecca Minkoff and Bob Mackie.
In both cases, the value of making runway fashions accessible was promoted.
The RM Rebecca Minkoff range from Minkoff, a New York-based designer best known for her handbags, blends “East Coast structure” with “West Coast ease,” and includes shrunken pea coats, wide-leg denim, and blouses, according to JCPenney. The exclusive line debuts with more than 85 pieces, and price points starting at $40.
“This launch makes elevated designer style more accessible than ever, whether you’re running errands or running the world,” said Michelle Wlazlo, CEO of JCPenney.
Bob Mackie, known for dressing starlets such as Cher, Marilyn Monroe, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, and recently Zendaya in elaborate gowns at awards shows, launched an exclusive limited-time collection including mini and long dresses crafted in velvets and sequins, as well as jewel-toned cocktail dresses. The offerings are priced under $300 and available in sizes 2-24.
Wlazlo said, “Partnering with the Bob Mackie brand allows us to merge the extraordinary with the everyday, offering customers runway-worthy fashion at unbeatable value. This collection is an invitation to say ‘yes’ to self-expression, glamour, and confidence, no matter who you are.”
JCPenney Continues To Lean Into Collabs
The partnerships add to a number of brands arriving at JCPenney this year, including the return of Nike; the debut of Aeropostale, Volcom and Hurley; and new exclusive offerings from Jessica Simpson to support back-to-school selling. Other launches this year include a plus-size line with model Ashley Graham, a baby apparel collection from actress Gabrielle Union and husband and NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, and a juniors line from Latin Grammy-winning artist Joaquina.
The push toward differentiated offerings is heralded in the mid-tier department store’s “Yes, JCPenney” campaign launched in April.
According to the regulatory filing of first-quarter results, the campaign is “focused on changing perceptions about JCPenney and building consideration about the availability of surprisingly strong fashion at a surprisingly strong value.”
According to the filing, the “Yes, JCPenney” campaign, combined with the return of the “Really Big Deals” program starring basketball legend Shaquille O’Neil, “resonated with consumers,” generating a 600-basis point in traffic improvement in the first quarter, a 22% year-over-year lift in brand search demand, and a 10% improvement with a younger, fashion-forward customer. Positive year-over-year growth was seen in April from existing customers.
Comparable-store sales overall in the quarter were down 3.3%, but marked an improving sequential trend over the 6.1% decline over the prior twelve months.
YouGov confirmed the campaign renewed consumer interest in JCPenney, reporting growth in ad awareness (2.3%), word of mouth (6.5%), and purchase consideration (16.4%) from April through June.
“The creative approach is more modern and culturally savvy than the brand’s past efforts,” YouGov wrote. “It’s still early days, and these metrics alone won’t save a struggling retail brand. But they do show that JCPenney’s new message is getting through.”