Walmart is bringing its fashion reinvention to SoHo with a pop-up focused on elevated private brands, cashmere, silk, and a “Devil Wears Prada 2” collaboration. Executive vice president of fashion Denise Incandela says the retailer is “stepping out” with better design, upgraded stores, and influencer-fueled perception shifts to democratize style at scale.
Key Takeaways
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SoHo as a fashion signal: The Lafayette Street pop-up showcases elevated private labels, new fabrications like $45 cashmere and silk, and movie-inspired collaborations, signaling that the retailer aims to compete in fashion, not just basics.
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Three-part fashion strategy: Incandela’s playbook focuses on expanding coverage across the shopper’s closet with higher-style assortments, remodeling thousands of stores to put fashion front and center, and using pop-ups and creator partnerships to change long-held perceptions.
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Design muscle and private brands: A 150-person New York fashion office has overhauled or launched 15 private brands, with several now topping $1-$2 billion in annual sales, giving the company leverage to push national brands on quality while using its scale to keep prices low.
