Kohl’s will begin offering apparel from outdoor retailer Eddie Bauer online and in approximately 500 of its stores nationwide beginning this fall, in a move designed to expand the retailer’s presence in the outdoor and activewear categories.
The Eddie Bauer assortment at Kohl’s will include size-inclusive women’s, men’s and kids’ outerwear and outdoor apparel — both year-round and seasonal — as well as an expanded selection online.
Kohl’s said in a statement that the addition of Eddie Bauer is part of a strategic push to increase the active category from 20% to 30% of its business. As part of the same initiative, Kohl’s also will launch the new athleisure specialty brand FLX in March.
“Eddie Bauer’s rich heritage of designing authentic, functional apparel that inspires everyone to get outdoors, combined with their passion for delivering differentiated, innovative products that meet the needs of today’s consumer, has made the brand a leader in the outdoor industry,” said Doug Howe, Chief Merchandising Officer of Kohl’s in a statement. “The addition of the Eddie Bauer brand into our portfolio acutely aligns with our ambition to grow our active and outdoor business and attract new and younger customers to Kohl’s.”
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The news comes as Kohl’s reported preliminary earnings. While its comparable store sales were down 11% in Q4, this marked a third consecutive quarter of improvement, and digital sales were up 20%. The company specifically called out its upcoming partnership with another retailer, Sephora — also set to launch this fall — in discussing its path to recovery after being hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
