Target is expanding its partnership with one of the world’s most iconic toy brands. The mass merchant is collaborating with Lego to offer shoppers a lifestyle collection including “brick-inspired” hooded sweatshirts and color-blocked puffer jackets, as well as fanny packs and pajamas.
The Lego Collection x Target reflects both brands’ commitment to inclusivity, Target said, referring to the partnership as its most inclusive to date. Women’s apparel ranges in size from XXS-4X, while men’s apparel is offered from S-5XLT. Additionally, the collection features an expanded assortment of adaptive and sensory-friendly offerings for kids and baby with garments featuring flat seams or hidden openings. The collaboration even has plaid sweaters for dogs.
Aside from apparel, the Lego Collection includes toys, pet gifts and home goods like storage boxes and tumblers adorned in the Lego brand’s signature red, yellow and blue colors, as well as a brick-patterned leash and dog collar. Prices for the nearly 300 items range from $1.50 to $120, with most selling for less than $30, Target said. The collection arrives online and in all Target stores in early December.
“Our guests love Lego brick sets—in fact, Target is one of the leading destinations for families when shopping for the brand. As we approach the holiday season, we saw an opportunity to come together with one of our long-standing partners to create something truly special for our guests during a time of year when differentiation and value are paramount,” Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Target, said in a statement. “As our guests continue to reimagine what their holiday traditions look like, our hope is that this collection will encourage them to make new memories this season and celebrate what matters most, spending time with family and friends.”
Lego operates in the apparel arena, offering the Lego Wear brand geared toward children. Lego Wear specializes in outerwear, primarily for winter conditions, as well as basics, with the brand collaborating with Snap in 2019 to launch an exclusive drop during London Fashion Week.
The colorful company drove buzz under the slogan “you’re never too old to play” in 2020 with a limited-edition shoe collaboration with Adidas, delivering a new take on the Adidas ZX8000 silhouette. Paying homage to both Adidas’ first-ever running shoe and the Lego brick, the shoe featured Lego studs on the heels and co-branded tongue tabs colored in the Lego logo’s iconic red and yellow colorway.
“The Lego brand is rare in its ability to equally excite all members of the family, and we expect that excitement to soar as we offer Lego fans young and old the opportunity to experience our brand in an entirely new way through this partnership,” said Satwik Saraswati, design director at the Lego Group. “Giving consumers a chance to curate and create looks as unique as their families through this collection, just as they would with Lego bricks, is something we are proud to bring to Target guests this holiday season.”
As for Target, the retail giant has a major holiday season ahead, feeling the pressure of supply chain bottlenecks like the rest of the industry. Alongside Walmart, UPS and FedEx, Target already has committed to increasing its use of night-time and off-peak hours at The Port of Los Angeles, with President Joe Biden calling on other retailers and carriers to follow their lead.
Earlier this month, Target also joined retail counterparts including Walmart, The Home Depot, Ikea and Costco in chartering its own vessels to get products into the U.S. quicker and help stock shelves. And on top of the 100,000 seasonal store employees the retailer is hiring for the holiday, Target added 30,000 new supply chain roles to close out September.
On the customer-facing end, Target extended its holiday price-match guarantee to run earlier this year. The guarantee started on Oct. 10 and will continue through Dec. 24.
Retailers are looking to toys as a competitive advantage to get consumers through their doors, physical or otherwise. Target previously announced plans to add more Disney shop-in-shops as the entertainment giant closes many of its own brick-and-mortar locations. Macy’s, meanwhile, is cozying up to Toys ‘R Us with an online-focused launch that will infiltrate stores in the years ahead.