Dive Brief:
- Adding another collection to its product assortment, J.C. Penney has teamed up with Grammy-nominated country music singer-songwriter Walker Hayes and iHeartRadio to create a limited-edition collection, Walker Hayes for J.C. Penney, the retailer announced Thursday.
- The collection features shirts, jackets, short-sleeve hoodies, shorts, pants and casual tees. The signature cap and tee of the collection has a “Duck Buck” logo, inspired by Hayes’ “Duck Buck” tour, the release said.
- The collection is priced between $20 and $89 and ranges in sizes S to XXL and 2XLT to 4XLT. Coinciding with Hayes’ upcoming performance at the iHeartCountry Festival, the retailer will debut the collection online on Saturday and in select stores on May 16, per the press release.
Dive Insight:
Branching further into pop culture, J.C. Penney continues to push its special collection collaborations. Amid the back-to-school season last fall, the retailer debuted a collection based on the “Abbott Elementary” TV show. Earlier this year, J.C. Penney collaborated with LaDarius Campbell, a Dallas-based lifestyle and fashion influencer, to create a limited-edition collection for its Stylus menswear brand.
J.C. Penney has also tapped talent in the fashion industry to create recent apparel collections. Last year, the retailer partnered with designer Prabal Gurung on the “iMPOWER by Prabal Gurung for JCPenney” womenswear collection and enlisted celebrity stylist Jason Bolden to create “J.Ferrar x Jason Bolden and Worthington x Jason Bolden” collections.
“There’s no better way to kick off summer than with live music, which is why we’re thrilled to partner with Walker Hayes and iHeartRadio for a casual men’s collection that can be worn on repeat throughout the season,” Michelle Wlazlo, chief merchandising officer for J.C. Penney, said in a statement. “It’s important to work with partners that align with our brand values. Walker is the ultimate family man and someone who supports his community — which aligns perfectly with our commitment to standing with our communities.”
J.C. Penney’s apparel collection collaborations build upon the retailer’s previous efforts to expand its product assortment. In 2022, the retailer unveiled its menswear private label brand, Mutual Weave, complete with T-shirts, denim, button-downs, knits, jackets and shoes. Similar to its newest collection with Hayes, the private label is available in a wide range of sizes, from XS to 5XLT and in adaptive styles.
The merchandising expansion comes as the retailer tries to recover from its bankruptcy. To turn its business around, the retailer said it would invest more than $1 billion by fiscal year 2025 to improve its digital capabilities, in-store tech, merchandising and supply chain.
