Clothing

Walmart is launching Free Assembly, a private label of men’s and women’s clothing, which will sell online and in stores. The big-box retailer’s leaders have looked beyond the grocery aisles and sought to sell more general merchandise to turn e-commerce into a profitable business. With the coronavirus pandemic, Walmart has a new opportunity to grab market share from apparel retailers like J.C. Penney that have filed for bankruptcy protection and others, such as Kohl’s and Macy’s, that have seen sales drop. Yet Walmart still has to prove it can keep up with consumer tastes and provide good value in the fickle fashion world.

The luxury market has taken a big hit during the pandemic, and the mega-deal between Tiffany’s and LVMH is on the verge of falling apart. Used apparel and accessories start-ups The RealReal and ThredUp are rebuilding business models to deal with Covid-19 requirements. Resale experiments at department stores like Macy’s are underway and its CEO says luxury is a bright spot amid a bleak retail landscape, while Walmart also has a new deal with ThredUp. Luxury shopping is a big consumer prize: Amazon just announced its entry, Amazon Luxury Stores.

Rent the Runway is overhauling its membership plans, doing away with an unlimited rental option, as consumers change what they wear and how they shop for clothes during the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic is shining a light on U.S. department stores’ dependence on selling fashion and their delay in adapting to today’s retail environment.

Instant coffee, ketchup, Lululemon yoga pants and Nike Air Max sneakers are all in. Bottled water, pricey diapers and Burberry luxury trench coats are out.

An update on Patagonia's current operations and more information about what their customers can expect.

Jamie Nordstrom delves into the challenges and changes of operating Nordstrom during the Global Pandemic

Men’s Warehouse owner Tailored Brands said it is eliminating roughly 20% of its corporate workforce by the end of its fiscal second quarter. It also said it has selected up to 500 of its stores that it could close “over time.” It did not disclose a list of locations. Earlier this month, Tailored Brands skipped a $6.1 million payment to bondholders, triggering a 30-day grace period.

JCPenney has survived world wars, the Great Depression, the Great Recession and the rise of both big box and online rivals. But surviving the Covid-19 pandemic is very much in doubt.

Brooks Brothers, founded in 1818, filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday. The retailer, which generated more than $991 million in sales last year, has more than 200 stores in North America and 500 worldwide. It has already decided to close roughly 51 stores, a decision it attributes to the pandemic.