TARGET’S NEWLINE TAILORED TO FITGENZ
Mix- and- match fashion aimed at today’s teens, tweens
Mercer Henderson is in many ways a typical member of Generation Z. She prefers comfort over couture. She likes to put her own stamp on what she wears. And, at 14, she already has created a mobile app with the proceeds going to charity.
Henderson is one of 10 young social media influencers who’ve helped Target design its latest clothing brand, Art Class, aimed at the 86 million teens and tweens who make up Generation Z.
Focusing on Gen Z makes retail sense. Topping out at around age 20, they outnumber oft courted Millennials and are poised to have an estimated $ 600 billion in purchasing power by 2020. Retail experts say that
chains such as Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters and American Eagle have bolstered their businesses by offering products and services that are particularly appealing to the nation’s younger generation.
“Companies like Nordstrom ... like Urban Outfitters, are using these kids as think tanks,’’ says Farla Efros, president of HRC Retail Advisory, a retail strategic firm. “They’re bringing them into the building and questioning them, understanding what’s hot and what’s not. ... This is the generation that’s going to develop the next whatever.’’
Art Class will launch Jan. 22 with an initial collection of about 100 clothing items and accessories aimed at those between 4 and 12. Art Class follows in the footsteps of Cat & Jack, another Target children’s line that launched in July and is projected to bring in more than $ 1 billion its first year.
While Cat & Jack is a broader brand that caters to babies as well as preteens, Art Class is its more curated, and potentially cooler, counterpart, keying in on the tastes of a generation that is digitally savvy, environmentally conscious and eager to stand out from the crowd when it comes to fashion.
For prices ranging from $ 5.99 to $ 24.99, Art Class shoppers can choose from such items as a black- and- white hoodie with a skeleton design, sporty leisure pants and a watercolor-splashed short set. They’re all pieces of an initial, limited edition collection dubbed The Class of 2017.
“This generation of kids is focused on expressing themselves through what they’re wearing and how they mix and match different pieces to create a look that’s all their own,’’ says Michelle Wlazlo, Target’s senior vice president of apparel and accessories. “Their preferences are changing more quickly than previous generations, which challenges us to look for new ways to bring them the latest trends on an accelerated timeline.’’
Target worked with kids between the ages of 7 and 14 to help shape the first Art Class collection, getting their input on everything from fabrics to buttons.