City Outfitters has turned its sights to menswear.
It’s been a couple of yr for the reason that Philadelphia-based retailer introduced Bijon Javadzadeh on board as basic merchandise supervisor of males’s attire to jumpstart the enterprise. As Shea Jensen, president of City Outfitters, mentioned on the corporate’s second-quarter earnings name in August: “We’re actually excited to be within the progress of rebuilding the boys’s assortment with an incredible new chief in place. I’d anticipate most likely by spring that you just’ll actually see a noticeable distinction in that assortment with some evolution between from time to time as we construct towards that.”
The primary seen signal of this reinvention was unveiled on Friday when the corporate debuted the second iteration of a brand new retailer idea within the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, Calif., that included an up to date males’s class supposed to higher serve its Gen Z buyer base.
The outside of the brand new retailer in Glendale, Calif.
Courtesy of City Outfitters
Javadzadeh, who spent greater than 18 years in males’s merchandising at Nordstrom and Tilly’s earlier than becoming a member of City, mentioned: “UO has at all times been a vacation spot for menswear and it’s actually about delivering an up to date technique that’s rooted in ensuring we’re assembly our male customers’ wants at the moment. For me, it was actually about elevating the expertise and shifting our focus to Gen Z and delivering the manufacturers which are most necessary to them.”
He mentioned at the moment’s Gen Z shopper is sort of a “collector. They’re actually in search of versatile items that complement their present wardrobe, but in addition replicate the cultural and social inspiration that they’re getting and the house that they’re dwelling in at the moment.”
To Javadzadeh, that translated into providing “wardrobe options” anchored in pants, hoodies and graphic T-shirts, “curated for the pattern acutely aware, Gen Z buyer.”
Bijan Javadzadeh, proper, with Kurt Narmore of 925 Originals.
Courtesy of City Outfitters
This features a huge assortment of personal label akin to the favored BDG Denim and Normal Material strains, in addition to third-party manufacturers together with well-known names Dickies, Levi’s, Ugg and The North Face in addition to rising manufacturers Museum of Peace and Quiet, 925 Originals, Honor the Present, Market and College students Golf, with extra coming this spring. Nike was additionally relaunched in shops in Might.
The signage was additionally up to date to higher name out the classes within the retailer, becoming rooms have been enlarged and completely different supplies have been used to create a extra immersive expertise, the retailer mentioned.
The boys’s division presents a mixture of nationwide manufacturers and personal label.
Courtesy of City Outfitters
“We’ve executed quite a lot of analysis on the Gen Z shopper and we all know what’s necessary to them,” he mentioned. “They love being within the mall, they love buying with their mates, they love having product they will exit in after college.”
Though many have sounded the loss of life knell for the mall, he mentioned the corporate’s analysis has discovered that 72 % of Gen Z customers are nonetheless visiting malls and so they stay the most well-liked in-person buying vacation spot for this demographic.
He mentioned the City males’s buyer ranges in age from 16 to 26 with a big college-age shopper who enjoys tailgating, sport days and different occasions common with this neighborhood. “Our method to males’s is about delivering a whole, trendy wardrobe that balances pattern necessities with one of the best of manufacturers,” Javadzadeh mentioned. “We’re evolving with our buyer to supply items impressed by the tradition, communities and moments shaping their type.”
Graphic T-shirts symbolize an enormous a part of the boys’s enterprise.
Courtesy of City Outfitters.
To introduce the brand new Glendale retailer to prospects, Javadzadeh mentioned the corporate leaned into social media and in addition had musical artist Khalid go to the shop and meet prospects two days earlier than the official opening.
Trying forward, the plan will proceed to roll out this new retailer idea sooner or later. Three shops, together with a location in Houston that’s already open, will sport the brand new look this yr with one other seven on faucet for 2026.
