![Mannequins dressed in clothes from Macy's new On 34th private label](jpg/on-34th-macys.jpg)
Photo: Jeff Sward
Macy’s launched a new private brand, the “On 34th” women’s collection, as part of an extensive “reimagination” of its in-house brand portfolio that will run through 2025.
Named after its Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street in New York City, On 34th offers classics and special pieces designed for women ranging in age from 30 to 50 who want modern, versatile, and easy-to-wear looks. The range was informed by two years of consumer research, including more than “100,000 online surveys, 35 days of digital community engagement and hundreds of hours of in-store fit research and shop-alongs,” and it runs across over 750 SKUs.
“They cared about fit, quality and value and had a tremendous amount of passion around what they were putting on every single day,” said Macy’s Chief Merchandising Officer Nata Dvir at a launch event at the Manhattan flagship, according to CNBC. “And they deserved better.”
On 34th is the first of four new brands that will be introduced over the next three years. Macy’s 24 existing private label brands — including I.N.C., Charter Club, and Club Room — are undergoing refreshes and facing elimination.
Macy’s goal is to have private brands return to making up about 20% of brand sales, up from 16% last year. Private label benefits include enabling retailers to emphasize more value-priced offerings while providing differentiation and potentially boosting margins.
Macy’s private label penetration is around half as high as the levels Kohl’s and JCPenney have reached. However, Macy’s better access to designer and upcoming fashion brands compared to Kohl’s, JCPenney, and Target has also long been counted as a differentiator and traffic driver. Macy’s private label push is being led by Emily Erusha-Hilleque, a 23-year veteran of Target, which is often lauded for its in-house apparel development.
Nordstrom, which also benefits from access to better brands versus competitors, in 2021 similarly announced plans to expand its private label assortments from 10% to 20% of sales by 2025. Pete Nordstrom, president and chief brand officer, said at the time that Nordstrom sees the “significant value that Nordstrom-made brands bring to our customers by filling in gaps in our assortment while giving us more control over our merchandise selection.”
BrainTrust
![](jpg/liza-amlani-1-150x150.jpg)
Liza Amlani
Principal and Founder, Retail Strategy Group
![](jpg/dick-seesel-150x150.jpg)
Dick Seesel
Principal, Retailing In Focus LLC
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