Dick’s Introduces VRST Men’s Apparel Line
Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS) – Get Report on Tuesday said it launched a men’s athletic apparel line, VRST.
The line will be marketed as a premium lifestyle brand for men, comparable to Lululemon. (LULU) – Get Report
Its launch follows the success of Dick’s in-house apparel brand for women, Calia by Carrie Underwood. The Pittsburgh sporting-goods retailer said that Calia was the second-best performing athletics brand in 2020, after Nike. (NKE) – Get Report
The new clothing line will be available online at the Dick’s Sporting Goods website as well as at a stand-alone retail site, VRST.com. It will also be available at over 400 Dick’s brick-and-mortar locations in the coming weeks, the company said.
VRST will include commuter pants, joggers, t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, and quarter-zips, at prices ranging from $30 to $120. The clothing will be available in several inseam and waist sizing options, deviating from the standard S-XXL sizes.
The name, VRST, lends to the idea of versatility, the company said.
“It’s designed for men to run, train and commute in style, without having to change. It’s built to outfit the modern man and support the way he moves throughout each day,” it added.
Buy the Dip in Dick’s Sporting Goods? Have a Look at the Chart
Dick’s’ further expansion into direct-to-consumer clothing comes at an interesting time, when consumers are favoring casual wear over business fashion.
The men’s activewear market grew to 45% of all men’s apparel in 2020, up from 39% the year earlier, with revenue from sweatpants increasing 16% year over year, and sweatshirts increasing 3%, according to NPD Group, the Port Washington, N.Y., market researcher.
Dick’s’ senior vice president of product development, Nina Barjesteh, told CNBC that the retailer is “maximizing the current momentum,” as the VRST brand has been in development for years.
Dicks is known for selling other sportswear brands, including Under Armour (UAA) – Get Report and Nike, but even those brands are working on their own private labels.
Adidas ADDYY recently said it planned to have its own direct-to-consumer vertical make up half of net sales by 2025, CNBC said.
At last check Dick’s Sporting Goods shares were trading 2.4% lower at $76.44.
