Dive Brief:
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After two-plus years in development, Macy’s on Thursday launched Mode of One, a men’s private label, part of what the department store said is the latest in its “ongoing private brands reimagination.”
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Available now in stores and online, the apparel brand has more than 140 SKUs, per a company press release. Prices range from about $25 to $160, in sizes from S to XXL and 30 to 40.
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Starting in October and through the holidays, Mode of One will offer monthly drops. For the first collection, Macy’s worked with graphic designer Tyrell Waiters, and The Brooklyn Circus founder Ouigi Theodore was the stylist.
Dive Insight:
Macy’s has had plans to overhaul its private labels for years now. In early 2020, with the launch of a turnaround under then-CEO Jeff Gennette, the retailer said its owned labels could be instrumental in growing sales and reaching younger consumers.
The pandemic interrupted that, so it wasn’t until two years later that Macy’s took major steps toward this effort. In 2022, the department store poached designers from Target responsible for that retailer’s hugely successful private labels. Since then, the company has introduced a slew of new labels, including On 34th, a women’s apparel brand that debuted last year, and State of Day, a loungewear line launched this year. The strategy also entails overhauls of existing Macy’s brands, as with the revamp of its Epic Threads kids line this year.
For Mode of One, Macy’s conducted “extensive research” on men’s style trends “and was inspired by street style, art, sports, music, technology and entertainment,” per its release. Different fits and silhouettes are meant to work for various occasions, are designed to be mixed and matched and are “crafted from quality materials that prioritize low-maintenance comfort and performance,” the company said. The collection includes suits, as well as more casual garments like hoodies, graphic tees and cargo pants.
Marketing for Mode of One is centered on social media. Macy’s has enlisted New York Knicks players Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart; Atlanta-based barber VicBlends, known for his influential podcast “Deepcut;” and acclaimed New York City chef and restaurateur Kwame Onwuachi.
In a statement, Emily Erusha-Hilleque, one of the former Target designers, who now leads private brands at Macy’s, said the department store is in the midst of “strengthening our fashion leadership in our brand portfolio, designing brands rooted in the customer’s voice and anchored in elevated trend, quality and cultural relevancy.”
“Mode of One represents our commitment to offering contemporary menswear that celebrates the individuality of the modern man,” Erusha-Hilleque said.
