Kroger partners with Club Monaco founder on new apparel brand
The Kroger Co. is overhauling its apparel strategy by launching a family apparel brand developed by the man responsible for Club Monaco and Joe Fresh.
Created by retail veteran and designer Joe Mimran and called Dip, the new brand will include men’s, women’s, juniors, kids and baby collections. It will launch this fall in more than 300 Fred Meyer and Kroger Marketplace stores. The brand will replace more than a dozen of Kroger’s existing private-label clothing brands, giving the company a more streamlined approach to apparel.
“Dip enables Kroger to provide a meaningfully better clothing experience, and ultimately, expand on the products and experiences that you can only get at our stores," said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior VP of merchandising. "We've worked closely with Joe and his team to develop a line of clothing that works for today's times – easy to buy, easy to wear, and easy to love. Dip will transform our apparel business, further redefining the customer experience through Restock Kroger.”
In partnering with Mimran, Kroger is linking up with a designer who has forged a successful track record in both upscale and budget-friendly apparel. In addition to founding specialty fashion retailer Club Monaco, Mimran is the creator of Joe Fresh, an affordable, fast-fashion family apparel brand which is sold in Canada through Loblaw’s supermarkets and freestanding Joe Fresh stores. (Joe Fresh, however failed to gain traction in the United States. After opening a handful of U.S. stores and also in-store shops at J.C. Penny, the brand ultimately exited the market.)
“Dip is simple, fresh, and goes great with everything,” said Mimran. "Style should be fun. We believe good design can be affordable. It should fit into your life, not the other way around."
As to the brand’s name, the designer said it is in sync with Kroger’s heritage in food.
“We looked at Kroger’s unmatched heritage in food,” Mimran explained. “We thought about the fun, easy energy of the clothes. We thought about what makes every gathering. And it just kind of clicked – Dip.”
Created by retail veteran and designer Joe Mimran and called Dip, the new brand will include men’s, women’s, juniors, kids and baby collections. It will launch this fall in more than 300 Fred Meyer and Kroger Marketplace stores. The brand will replace more than a dozen of Kroger’s existing private-label clothing brands, giving the company a more streamlined approach to apparel.
“Dip enables Kroger to provide a meaningfully better clothing experience, and ultimately, expand on the products and experiences that you can only get at our stores," said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior VP of merchandising. "We've worked closely with Joe and his team to develop a line of clothing that works for today's times – easy to buy, easy to wear, and easy to love. Dip will transform our apparel business, further redefining the customer experience through Restock Kroger.”
In partnering with Mimran, Kroger is linking up with a designer who has forged a successful track record in both upscale and budget-friendly apparel. In addition to founding specialty fashion retailer Club Monaco, Mimran is the creator of Joe Fresh, an affordable, fast-fashion family apparel brand which is sold in Canada through Loblaw’s supermarkets and freestanding Joe Fresh stores. (Joe Fresh, however failed to gain traction in the United States. After opening a handful of U.S. stores and also in-store shops at J.C. Penny, the brand ultimately exited the market.)
“Dip is simple, fresh, and goes great with everything,” said Mimran. "Style should be fun. We believe good design can be affordable. It should fit into your life, not the other way around."
As to the brand’s name, the designer said it is in sync with Kroger’s heritage in food.
“We looked at Kroger’s unmatched heritage in food,” Mimran explained. “We thought about the fun, easy energy of the clothes. We thought about what makes every gathering. And it just kind of clicked – Dip.”