O'Neal's J.C. Penney collection will be sold in 350 stores and online beginning Sept. 12 shaquille o'neal
Shaquille O’Neal next month will "face off against Michael Strahan on the men’s floors at J.C. Penney when the retailer launches a new line of big & tall tailored clothing for O’Neal that will join Strahan’s collection that has been carried there exclusively" since '15, according to Jean Palmieri of WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY. J.C. Penney tapped O’Neal in March to "serve as the company’s exclusive Big & Tall style ambassador and the new brand, Shaquille O’Neal XLG, is an extension of that relationship." His collection, which will "hit 350 stores and online on Sept. 12, will be exclusively targeted to the big & tall market while Strahan’s offers a wider range of sizes." J.C. Penney Senior VP & Head of Merchandising James Starke said he expects the O'Neal collection “will be incremental” to that of Strahan. He added, "I don’t see it cannibalizing business." O'Neal said, "Big guy fashion is boring and bland. I want to do whatever it takes for people to look and feel good.” Palmieri noted that means "creating 'sexy jackets and blazers' that will enhance a guy’s physique, no matter his size." The initial collection "encompasses some 60 styles of suit separates, dress shirts, ties and belts in sizes that go up to 5XL in stores and 6XL online in tops and up to size 64 in suit separates." O'Neal: "Eventually, I’d like to also have jeans, polos, shorts." Starke said that J.C. Penney and O'Neal will host a launch event in N.Y. today to "introduce the collection, which should help give it even more buzz" (WWD.com, 8/20).
BIG SALES: Starke said that O'Neal will help J.C. Penney "strengthen its already significant special size business." In Dallas, Maria Halkias notes J.C. Penney is the "largest big and tall retailer among the department store chains." In Q2, big and tall men's sales "posted a double-digit percent sales increase" at J.C. Penney. The retailer is giving O'Neal "credit for much of that gain." J.C. Penney said that clothing he wears in the company's print and digital marketing "sells twice as fast as other items" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/21).
