Target is cleaning house (literally) by shedding some of it's stalwart brands to launch a dozen new ones over the next 18 months in the apparel and home furnishings departments. To make room, men's and women's Merona lines and men's Mossimo merchandise will be phased out, deemed "too homogenized to garner shoppers' affection".
Each new brand will have a defined personality and purpose. For women, A New Day will offer a more fashionable line of women's classics. For men, Goodfellow & Co. promises a modern take on traditional menswear. Other lines include the athleisure-inspired JoyLab, for women going from "crunches to brunches." And Project 62 will be a home brand with a more modern aesthetic (as compared to the more traditional-leaning Threshold).
While I understand the need to grow and evolve, I have to say I'll really miss Merona. They were my go-to brand for wardrobe staples like these cropped work pants (shown here) and I also have several shirts, shorts and jackets from this brand in my closet. As for Project 62: Target's recent line Modern by Dwell never sold that well, so if Target is going to try the mod approach again, they'd better tweak their designs to be less like Ikea and more like West Elm.
PS: To read more about Target's plans - plus see preview pics of some of the news brands mentioned above - read this article on A Bullseye View.
6 comments:
I actually gasped when I read your headline. I've been buying Merona for affordable smart work wear since the 90's when I got a shirt for my first job interview. Hopefully it'll be a good change, like when Circo and Cherokee became Cat and Jack. But... WOW. I'm shocked. I understand the need for change, especially with how their stock has performed, but Merona is such a good brand.
I also got an email this morning from Target saying they are killing Cartwheel. Oh Target, what's become of you?!
chasing a mythical customer by changing what's popular,
hows that working for you Kmart/Penny's etc
if if aint broke don't fix
R: I was shocked (and bummed) as well. Merona was one of my favorites.
And Kate: I agree. Target is going after a customer than honestly won't be shopping at a mass retailer like Tar-jay in the first place. Those looking for something truly 'unique' shop small labels, niche brands, vintage/thrift or online. What I rely on Target for is interpreting current styles from higher-priced mass retailers at a better price point. I was in a Banana Republic yesterday (for the first time in months) and was amazed at how many of their styles Target had imitated - which is great for me, as I'd rather pay Target prices than BR ones. My fear is that eliminating Mossimo and Merona will get rid of styles that appeal to the masses.
i thought they were only combining cartwheel with the target app?
Very stupid decision. They are going to alienate their loyal customers chasing after a demographic that won't shop there. 🙄
The other thing that bothers me is that according to the article, "with the new brands, Target's discounts and promotions will become more of a thing of the past, and displays throughout refurbished stores will have more of a "boutique" feel." I feel like this is a BIG mistake. At the end of the day, a Target shopper is looking for a bargain. Even if an item has a decent price point to begin with, we 'bargain hunters' will want to wait for it to go on sale.
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