Months after branching into the intimates space, women’s apparel retailer Maurices is eyeing its next venture: tweens.
The Duluth, Minn. company announced on Wednesday it will launch its in-house tween girls apparel brand, Evsie, in late March. The line will focus on denim jeans, shorts and skirts in a number of washes and stretch fabrications for girls ages 8-12. Also featured in the collection are tops, jackets, dresses and rompers.
The brand already has a presence on both Instagram and Gen Z-favorite TikTok at @evsieofficial. A promo video shows wide-leg jeans with an elastic waist, jackets and shorts with daisy embroidery and a romper.
“The evolution of Evsie came out of market research showing that our customers really want the same fashionable, age-appropriate, budget-conscious choices for their daughters,” said David Kornberg, Maurices CEO. “As a company with over nine decades of history, we are excited to launch this tween brand, extending our promise to a new generation of young women.”
The tween fashion market is gaining traction among other brands and retailers. The Children’s Place launched its size inclusive tween label Sugar & Jade in November. At the time, the company’s CEO Jane Elfers said the retailer was branching out beyond its newborn-to-10-year-old niche and targeting what she described as an $8 billion market.
Earlier last year, Pacsun launched the Pacsun Kids brand, offering genderless apparel for ages 4-14, Francesca’s launched tween brand Franki to swift legal backlash, and Walmart expanded its Free Assembly private label into the children’s category, with sizes available from 5-18.
As part of the Evsie launch, the brand partnered with Kind Campaign, an anti-bullying non-profit organization that celebrates girls supporting girls. From March 20 through May 31, Maurices will sell two limited-edition Evsie T-shirts and donate 100 percent of net proceeds to the organization. It will also offer customers the chance to be part of an annual brand ambassador program, which includes exclusive insider tips and a first look at new products.
Evsie’s inaugural collection will be available in select Maurices stores and online.