Zara. Shane. Walmart?
In its latest effort to be seen as a destination for affordable fashion, Walmart is setting out to prove it has more to offer than just household and grocery essentials.
The retail giant has embarked on the Walmart Style Tour, bringing its collection of fall styles directly to consumers at more than 40 shopping centers, festivals and public spaces across the country.
“Walmart is on a mission to democratize fashion,” the company said in a news release announcing the tour, which began in Chicago this month and will travel across the country through October, including two pop-ups in Los Angeles.
The roadshow is part of Walmart’s latest effort to reposition itself as a stylish choice and change public perception of the brand, historically a go-to for clothing shoppers. The discount chain has long harbored fashion ambitions, hoping to gain market share by improving its assortment of attractive, yet budget-friendly, high-quality apparel in a retail era where runway-inspired looks are quickly produced and sold cheaply.
“The basics of fashion are trying to be on trend without trying to stray too far,” said Joe Feldman, senior managing director at Telsey Advisory Group. “You don’t want to be so fashion-conscious that you have to discount your items regularly because they’re hit or miss, but you want to avoid jeans and T-shirts and other silhouettes that are a little more stylish.”
Feldman said it’s a “very clever” approach that stops short of “making big bets on quirky design and style.”
“We don’t see it being a huge revenue driver,” he said. “It’s about building the brand and getting in front of a broader audience, not just the core consumer who comes in every day.”
Walmart’s first in LA was a Friday at Ovation Hollywood (formerly known as the shopping and entertainment complex), and the second is planned for September: 9pm at the Original Farmers Market next to the Grove.
In addition to selling clothes, the pop-up will also feature merchandise giveaways and advice from on-site stylists. There will also be experiences like free lipstick engraving and a personalized color analysis. TikTok trends will help people identify the shades and tones that best complement their natural features.
Consulting firm McKinsey & Company estimated the global fashion industry was worth $1.7 trillion last year. Clothing prices have plummeted as shoppers flock to fast-fashion retailers; in December, the firm reported that items cost $14 at Shein, $26 at H&M and $34 at Zara. That creates a cycle of consumers frequently buying new clothes only to wear them a short time later.
Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer by sales, has been in transformation mode for the past decade. Analysts have praised the retailer for investing heavily in technology to boost efficiency, renovating stores to give them a more modern look and embracing an agile, experimental mindset. These efforts have paid off, helping Walmart make inroads with higher-income customers.
“Compared to Walmart 10 years ago, Walmart is much more focused on product selection and keeping things new and relevant to consumers,” said Stephen Shemesh, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets.
The Bentonville, Arkansas, company reported sales of $648 billion in the last fiscal year, up 6 percent from the previous year. It operates more than 10,500 stores in 19 countries, including Sam’s Club stores.
“I’d say the overall strategy is working,” Shemesh said. “A lot of people who previously gave up on Walmart are coming into the stores and having a very different experience than they had in the past.”
Like many retailers, Walmart enlists social media influencers to promote its new styles. Two years ago, the company launched a platform called , an affiliate program that lets creators monetize shoppable products. Creators sign up to share their recommendations and earn commissions on sales they refer.
Walmart also made an appearance at New York Fashion Week this month, co-hosting a pop-up showroom for clothing designed by Brandon Maxwell for the chain, and the retail giant announced that it had hired the fashion designer as creative director for its private label brands Free Assembly and Scoop in 2021.
Walmart is also taking its partnership online: The company’s website, where shoppers can browse by “It List Trends” like “denim on denim,” “shades of red” and “utility chic,” has a landing page for Maxwell’s favorite Free Assembly picks, including faux sherpa jackets for men, $30, and oversized teddy coats for women, $65.
“It’s still Walmart and it’s still value, so it’s not going to be super-premium apparel,” Shemesh said. “At the end of the day, they’re still catering to the price-conscious consumer.”
