Dive Brief:
- Walmart and Sam's Club have teamed up with award-winning singer Elton John to release an exclusive eyewear collection, the latest among a slew of other celebrity partnerships in recent years. The Foundations Collection includes 60 frames, 36 exclusive to Sam's Club and 24 exclusive to Walmart, that retail for between $95 and $100.
- The eyewear line, dubbed Elton John Eyewear, is available at Sam's Club on Monday and at Walmart later this week, according to a press release. Elton John Eyewear is expected to release more frames and be available in more Walmart locations next year.
- With Elton John Eyewear, the singer worked with the retailers to develop frames inspired by his style and music career, according to the release. John gave the frames names like "Rocketman," "A-List" and "Prodigy."
Dive Insight:
Walmart has been growing its list of high-profile partnerships.
Earlier this year, Walmart named acclaimed fashion designer Brandon Maxwell as creative director for two of its private label brands, Free Assembly and Scoop. The retailer has partnered with actress Drew Barrymore on multiple occasions to launch various collections, such as Beautiful Kitchenware, Flower cosmetics and Drew Barrymore Flower Home. Walmart has also released an exclusive baby line with celebrity husband-and-wife duo Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell called Hello Bello.
Members at Walmart-owned Sam's Club can access two additional collections from Elton John Eyewear, the Capsule Collection and the Master Collection. Sam's Club will launch the Master Collection this holiday season, which offers collector frames inspired by the singer's personal collection. The collection has a starting price of $350, and each frame is signed, numbered and is sold in limited supplies.
Along with the announcement, Walmart has pledged to donate at least $1 million yearly from the collection to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation, per the release.
"We know Sam's Club members and Walmart customers look to us for quality, on-trend brands at an amazing price, and the Elton John Eyewear Collection delivers just that," Megan Crozier, chief merchant at Sam's Club, said in a statement. "We've created an eyewear line using materials, elements and contours across expressive silhouettes, making the brand feel like luxury at an affordable price, while also telling Elton John's phenomenal story."
Retailers often leverage celebrity partnerships to boost the buzz around their products and possibly drive more traffic. Target, for instance, has released exclusive collections with HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines, as well as celebrity and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen. Adidas also teamed up with Beyoncé to relaunch Ivy Park in 2019.
