Macy’s, which has been quite vocal in announcing its plan to win over Gen Y, unveiled what it is calling the first phase of a sweeping new product initiative targeting those between the ages of 13 and 30.
It says it will launch 13 new brands, including one named Marilyn Monroe, and expand 11 others. Last spring, it said it would shift its sights to the $65 billion spending power of Gen Y, but this is the first look at how it will break the demographic down.
“This product investment and repositioning is the first phase of our Millennial strategy and will help strengthen Macy’s credentials and credibility with this customer by offering them newness, fashion and innovation across product categories and lifestyles,” says Jeffrey Gennette, Macy’s chief merchandising officer, in the company’s release. And by the end of 2013, “the brands launched or expanded at Macy's will have fully established a new and fresh shopping environment to hold the attention of a generation that is keenly interested in trends, style and value.”
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The company says it is using its research to inform merchandising at Macy’s mstylelab, which primarily focuses on shoppers between 13 and 22, and Impulse, aimed at those 19 to 30) departments. But it is also relying on those insights to “shape marketing, store environments and visual presentation.”
It’s also making innovations that reflect younger shoppers’ need for speed. To please a generation whose favorite retail brands include fast-fashion chains like Zara and H&M, Macy’s is working with MADE Fashion Week to create stores within its stores, collecting the latest trends, with each trend capsule featuring between 20 and 30 runway-inspired pieces.
In addition to the Marilyn Monroe brand, which “re-imagines” the star in classic sportswear and screen tees, other new brands include apparel from Keds; Blossom & Clover, an exclusive new brand by Sanctuary, meant for “the 20-something girl who is experimenting with her personal style;” the Truth or Dare shoe collection from Madonna; G-Star Raw for young men based on raw, untreated denim; Ambiguous, a skateboard inspired young men’s brand; and Fatal Clothing, featuring “tattoo influenced art.”