Kohl’s plans to leverage customers’ appreciation for its private label brands with its new “By Kohl’s” brand platform, which will include in-store displays showcasing complete outfits as well as social, digital and broadcast TV spots featuring Ellie Kemper as the “Kohl’s Mom.” Stores also will include prominent “By Kohl’s” signage to help customers recognize the retailer’s owned brands throughout their shopper journey.
“At its core, By Kohl’s is about giving the proprietary brands we’ve created for our customers a stronger voice and greater visibility,” said Christie Raymond, Chief Marketing Officer at Kohl’s in a statement. “We want shoppers to have confidence in choosing these brands, because they understand what they offer — style they love, quality they can trust and value that fits their lives.”
The platform will identify key selling points of each brand in the Kohl’s owned brands portfolio, she added: “Our creative brings each brand’s personality to life under one connected platform. For example, the broadcast spot for FLX apparel shows how the brand moves seamlessly from work to the golf course, combining comfort, performance and polish. Online, we’re reinforcing each brand’s distinct attributes, like reinforced knees on Jumping Beans kids’ pants or the thoughtful design of an LC Lauren Conrad dress.
Chief Merchandising Officer Nick Jones expanded on how the By Kohl’s platform would be expressed in brick-and-mortar stores: “Our goal is to create an environment that shows shoppers exactly how to build looks for their everyday lives,” he said in a statement. “You’ll see this come to life through curated displays and a fresh approach to our mannequins and fixtures, which will serve as visual style guides. By showcasing complete outfits — pairing a floral top with the right bottoms and accessories — we’re making it easier to see how By Kohl’s pieces work together.
Like many department stores, Kohl’s has been struggling in recent years to build foot traffic as consumer behaviors have changed. For Q3 2025, which ended Nov. 1, 2025, Kohl’s net sales decreased 2.8% year over year compared to the same period the previous year, to $3.4 billion, with comparable sales dropping 1.7%.
In November 2025 Kohl’s named Michael Bender, who had been serving as Interim CEO, to the company’s top spot on a permanent basis. Last month Kohl’s expanded its $10-and-under “Deal Bars” chainwide to promote impulse purchases near each store’s checkout area.
