Walmart hires fashion designer Runway judge Brandon Maxwell

Walmart wants to make a name for itself in fashion. Brandon Maxwell, a designer who wears celebrities from Lady Gaga to Michelle Obama, has caught his attention to boost his reputation.

Maxwell will oversee the discounter’s top brands, Scoop and Free Assembly, as creative director. The 36-year-old designer lives in New York. He was a judge on Bravo’s “Project Runway” and designs a luxury label sold by retailers like Neiman Marcus with items that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars a piece.

However, working with Walmart, Maxwell said it can fit multiple budgets and reach more buyers – including friends and family in his hometown of Longview, Texas. His first complete collections will be available in the spring of 2022.

“I’m not a person who thinks fashion is just something on the surface. I think it’s a way of telling the world ‘This is who I am’ and who has power,” he told CNBC. “Being able to bring this to so many different people and communities like mine, where I grew up, has always seemed like my goal.”

In recent years, Walmart has expanded beyond the basics of clothing. The retailer has acquired well-known clothing brands, such as the men’s clothing retailer Bonobos, and launched its own brand. He added nearly 1,000 national names to his website, including Champion, Levi Strauss and Free People. And has an agreement with ThredUp, a seller of used clothing, footwear and accessories, to offer state-of-the-art brands on a budget.

The retailer has launched four exclusive, high-end brands: Sofía Jeans, developed together with actress Sofia Vergara; Eloquii Elements, a large line for women, inspired by the brand purchased Eloquii; Free assembly, a private label for men and women for everyday fashion; and Scoop, a trend-oriented brand that Walmart has revived.

However, the world’s largest retailer, by revenue, is better known for low prices than for high fashion. Its national footprint of over 4,700 stores is largely concentrated in suburban areas and small towns, rather than in fashion centers such as New York City and Los Angeles. Much of her fashion clothing can only be found online.

Denise Incandela, executive vice president of clothing and private label for Walmart, said it is changing. After testing and selling private labels online, she said shoppers will see them in several brick locations. This spring, Sofia Jeans will be in 1,000 stores. Free assembly will be in 500 stores, Scoop will be in 250 stores, and Elloquii Elements will be in 100 stores.

She said the retailer intends to sell more national brands in stores and make clothing displays more attractive with mannequins and creative images. It will also add a children’s line to Free Assembly and Scoop.

Walmart has 13 private general merchandise brands that have generated annual sales of $ 1 billion or more. Three of his private clothing lines are $ 2 billion. The company refused to name the brands.

Stacey Widlitz, a retail consultant and founder of SW Retail Advisors, said Walmart needs to show younger, style-conscious shoppers that its stores and website are a place to store the closet, not just the fridge.

“The challenge for them is to be able to really outline in the consumer’s mind that they are becoming a fashion destination,” she said. “It’s not an overnight solution [Walmart] it is food. There are various basic elements. Walmart is not synonymous with fashion at the moment. “

She said she is behind Target, her smaller, larger rival, which has established itself as a chic, cheap retailer with stylish, remodeled stores and popular private labels.

However, she pointed to Walmart’s free assembly line, launched last fall, as a sign of progress. She said Walmart needs to pick up the pace with private labels.

Walmart’s e-commerce sales in the US rose 79% in the most recent fiscal year, as more shoppers shipped purchases to their homes or picked up online parking orders during the pandemic. Its sales at the same store increased by 8.6% compared to the previous fiscal year. The company did not disclose how much of this increase in sales came from general merchandise, such as clothing.

Because some core stores, such as Macy’s and JC Penney, have lost their position, Walmart and other off-mall stores have the opportunity to gain credibility and market share in general merchandise categories, such as beauty and clothing.

Incandela said Walmart wants to be a convenient place where consumers can find a wider range for their wardrobe, from t-shirts to attractive outfits. She said the retailer will continue to experiment with ways to make an impression, from the different presentation of clothing on its website to the presentation of customers on TikTok.

“We are at the beginning of that journey,” she said. “We have a lot of work to do.”

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of Bravo and CNBC.