Retailer Cotton On is taking advantage of momentum from an earlier litmus test of its sleepwear in select doors with a plan to roll the range out across all of its U.S. stores.
The company first began testing appetite for the range about four months ago online and in 10 stores on the West Coast.
“Out of the gate, we saw really strong results and [shoppers] really just gravitating mostly toward the collection which we call Super Soft,” said Cotton On Body U.S. manager April Norris. “We know right now she wants anything warm and cozy and we know that her lifestyle is definitely evolving so we were able to understand through the silhouette offering and product price point what she was responding to the most.”
Cotton On Group’s own business has been evolving rapidly here in the U.S. with the company’s namesake brand as well as Cotton On Kids, Cotton On Body, Factorie, Rubi, Typo and Supre. In the summer the Australia-based company opened new, 18,000-square-foot U.S. headquarters in Glendale, Calif.
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Cotton On Group currently counts more than 1,400 stores globally across its brands with 100 of those Cotton On stores in the U.S. Companywide revenue totaled $1.9 billion Australian dollars for the 12 months ended in June, up from $1.8 billion Australian dollars in the prior 12-month period.
The sleepwear range lives under the Cotton On Body label, which also includes activewear, swim and intimates. The sleepwear rollout consists of flannel pants, joggers, shorts, long-sleeve crewneck tops, rib camisoles and robe retailing for $14.95 to $24.95.
The expansion is no doubt good timing with retailers now in the full swing of the holiday selling season, but the company’s also capitalizing on the broader trend toward more casual dressing that’s taken place over the past several years.
“We’ve definitely been able to recognize the customer is really looking for an effortless, casual look, whether it be when she’s lounging around the house or out running errands,” Norris added of the momentum behind the broader expansion. “It’s really meant to be worn inside and outside.”
The range will no doubt continue to grow with the customer, such as satin-based robes and slips and changes in looks with the seasons. But the rollout is not simply a holiday play.
“The Super Soft collection is meant to live in our assortment,” Norris said. “It’ll really continue to evolve into a fashion silhouette offering, and then we’ll be evolving sleepwear to be relevant to seasonality.”
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