Photo: The Children’s Place
Will adult pajamas prove a good fit for The Children’s Place?
After finding success over the last several years selling holiday-themed family pajama sets for Halloween, Christmas and Easter, The Children’s Place has launched PJ Place, a sleepwear lifestyle brand.
The range, initially available at pjplace.com, is targeted towards Millennial and Gen Z audiences.
Beyond the “significant” opportunity within the growing adult sleepwear category, PJ Place is expected to help introduce Children’s Place to young adults before they become parents.
“We have a leadership position in kids sleepwear and over the past few years our adult sleepwear business has grown exponentially,” said Jane Elfers, president and CEO. “While our current adult sleepwear assortment focuses almost exclusively on matching family looks, we recognized we had an opportunity to expand our adult sleepwear assortments to appeal directly to the Millennial and Gen Z customer by introducing new fabrics, silhouettes and a touch of whimsy.”
Children’s Place has retained a diverse group of celebrities and influencers, including Khloé Kardashian, Kris Jenner, CEO of Être Girls, Illana Raia and TikTok stars, Rod Thill and Erika Priscilla, as ambassadors for PJ Place.
In recent years, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and other luxury labels have launched children’s wear lines to support the “Minnie-me” or “Mommy & me” trend. Chains such as Gap and Nordstrom offer matching outfit sections online.
Social media has also augmented the matching-outfit trend. The Atlantic wrote in a profile on the trend, “Celebrities show off their adorably chic children to thousands of fans on Instagram and on the red carpet, while average parents can resort to Facebook and holiday cards.”
The overall sleepwear category has also earned a boost due to the pandemic-driven lockdowns and increase in remote work that has accelerated a shift to relaxed dressing. In 2021, men’s and women’s sleepwear sales each almost doubled, according to NPD.
“The casualization of our wardrobe was already happening pre-Covid and then it really took off during Covid,” Maria Rugolo, apparel industry analyst at NPD, told CNN. “And now it’s just acceptable to wear your sleepwear and loungewear, even outside.”
- The Children’s Place Launches PJ Place, a New Sleepwear Lifestyle Brand, with a Star-Studded Brand Campaign – The Children’s Place/PRNewswire
- The Children’s Place just went full grown-up – CNN
- Mini-me fashion: Is dressing your kids in clothes that match your own cute — or just cringey? – The Independent
- Parents are dressing like their kids as the ‘mini me’ trend takes off – NZ Herald
- The Curious History of Mommy-and-Me Fashion – The Atlantic
- The Matching Shop – Gap
- mommy and me – Nordstrom
Discussion Questions
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Are pajamas a big enough opportunity for The Children’s Place to build a lifestyle brand around? What do you think of PJ Place’s approach to the category?
Poll
Loading …BrainTrust
DeAnn Campbell
Head of Retail Insights, AAG Consulting Group
Liza Amlani
Principal and Founder, Retail Strategy Group
Sales of adult PJs – and loungewear more generally – have grown over the past few years as people have worked form home more and as there has been a focus on nesting. Around the holidays, adult PJs and family sets have always traditionally done well. As such, The Children’s Place pivot into the space is sensible. However it will be up against some stiff competition from other retailers like Old Navy (which do a fantastic job with PJs during the holidays) and direct-to-consumer brands like Jambys.
For some it might be acceptable to wear PJs outside. To create a store for them? Sounds like a straw Gap would be grasping at now.
This is an opportunity to test the concept of a matching set of jammies for the entire family. It could have appeal, but it’s a limited foray.
I have seen a lot of retailers pushing family pajamas more this year than last. I think with fears over COVID-19 subsiding, the message this season is togetherness and family PJ selling is proof of that. I think it’s a good risk to take.
It’s high time a children’s retailer realized they have a captive audience with the adults doing the shopping. This is a great way to resonate with families and children of all ages and a smart move to add a new revenue stream.
Yes! This is a growth driving category that will be a good fit for The Children’s Place. The strategy is smart but opening up another channel may not be the best move. Capturing the parent or family member shopping at The Children’s Place is one thing but investing in another platform that will take a shopper away from TCP is counterintuitive. Keeping customers engaged and giving them a seamless shopping experience is critical.
I must be out of it. I haven’t worn formal pajamas in decades. T-shirt and gym shorts work fine. Of the men and boys in our family, eight of nine go the tee and shorts route. Two out of four ladies do wear PJs.
That certainly is not a projectable sample, but I find it hard to believe that a store can stay open selling adult pajamas.
If you want to sell adult pajamas, sell adult pajamas, but thinking that it’s acceptable to wear them outside is a bit much. Most of us have moved past that phase of COVID.
My short answer is, no. Sure, pajamas have their season (holidays) but is that enough to build a “lifestyle brand” around? I don’t think so. Like Gene Detroyer, I personally don’t know that many pajama people and – outside of themed bar crawls – I can’t really remember seeing too many people wandering around in their PJs, and I live in a hipster, fashionista community. I think retailers are better off getting one solid category right rather than sticking their toes in multiple categories they really won’t – or can’t – grow.
Pajamas aren’t the only area. Retailers like JCrew, Gap, and even Macy’s do a solid job of featuring designs for the perfect family portrait also. Pajamas are year-round, but it’s more likely these are novelty purchases for the holiday season.
I like this move. My only fear is that it’s too late – that as the pandemic eases the demand they hope to satisfy will be diminishing as has most artificial pandemic demand.
This is a good way to capitalize on a a growing trend. Consumers are spending more time at home and realizing their PJ game can use a makeover.
The longevity of this solution is something to keep an eye on. At what point will PJ Palace need to branch out to indoor/outdoor lounge wear. Or, maybe they have already planned the comeback of the leisure suit.
In the end, being able to explore this space without the overhead cost of brick and mortar is a benefit of living in a digital commerce world. This is something to use to their advantage and not lean forward too soon into opening stores around this proposition.
Why not? Hanna Anderson has been doing a great job with this – matching PJs for the whole family!