Walmart Melds Fashion, Beauty and Home in New Style Organization

by · WWD
Denise Incandelacourtesy shot.

Style is very much in ascendance at Walmart.

The retail giant is bringing its fashion, home and beauty businesses together under Denise Incandela, the Saks veteran who’s been transforming the apparel business as executive vice president, fashion, Walmart U.S.

Previously, home was operated out of the general merchandise business and beauty fell under consumables.

“Style is an important part of how we’re creating the offerings and experiences our customers love most,” said Julie Barber, EVP and chief merchandising officer, in a statement.

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“We’ve built strong momentum across fashion, home and beauty, and bringing these businesses together gives us an opportunity to build on that progress, sharpen our point of view and make Walmart an even more inspiring destination for style,” Barber said.

In a post about the new Style Organization on LinkedIn, the CMO meditated on what it means to be a merchant — a role that’s long been revered at Walmart — and how the job is changing.

“The role of a merchant has always been part art and part science,” she said. “We study the data, listen closely to customers and watch what’s happening across the broader marketplace. But great merchants also have an instinct for what customers will want before they ask for it.

“That matters more than ever,” she said. “Customers have more choice, more access and more inspiration at their fingertips. Trends move quickly, but what customers expect from us remains simple: great products, incredible value, convenience and an experience they can trust.”

Walmart is aiming to have what customers love most. And to get there, it’s focused on four themes: Lead in Style & Trend, Win Essentials, Deliver Unmatched Value and Develop the Most Engaging Retail Ecosystem.

Barber said: “Bringing these teams closer together will allow us to build on the momentum across each business, connect trends and insights in new ways and bring an even stronger point of view to our customers. It makes sense because our customers don’t experience style in silos. What they see in Fashion can influence Beauty. Colors, materials and textures can move from what we wear into how we decorate our homes. Inspiration can come from anywhere.”

In the newly formed Style Organization, she pointed to examples of this in action, including Scenario, the store’s new women’s modern bohemian brand; the addition of Medicube in beauty, and the emphasis on trend-forward items in home, like the oversize Mongolian fur pillow.

Increasingly, style is being seen as a kind of superpower for the mass market. Target, which is starting to get some traction in its turnaround, but is still lagging Walmart, is making style a pillar of its new approach.