J.C. Penney to Sell Forever 21 Merchandise in Stores and Online

J.C. Penney announced on Monday that it's adding Forever 21 to its portfolio of national fashion brands. Shoppers will be able to find Forever 21 products at 100 of the 650 J.C. Penney stores across the nation, as well as on the retailer's website. Apparel items that will be available include tops, bottoms and dresses. The launch of Forever 21 at J.C. Penney is being driven through an omnichannel marketing campaign encompassing in-store, e-commerce, social media, and direct mail promotions.

“Forever 21 and J.C. Penney share a mission to make the latest trends accessible to all while inspiring unique style and confidence,” said Michelle Wlazlo, executive vice president, chief merchandising officer at J.C. Penney. “The addition of this brand to our portfolio rounds out our 'Young Minded' assortment and brings an exciting new element of in-the-moment fashion.” Both J.C. Penney and Forever 21 are owned by Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the company behind dozens of brand and retailer acquisitions, including Barneys New York, Juicy Couture, and Reebok.

Total Retail's Take: The introduction of Forever 21 at J.C. Penney helps the department store chain's effort to establish itself as a multigenerational shopping destination. "Forever 21's relationship with the Generation Z customer is a perfect alignment for J.C. Penney, which is also committed to bringing innovation, excitement and fashion to a young consumer that understands the quickly evolving trends in fashion," Jarrod Weber, group president of lifestyle and chief brand officer at ABG, said in a statement. The partnership with Forever 21 is the second apparel deal J.C. Penney has made with an ABG brand this month. In early December, J.C. Penney announced a clothing collection with Sports Illustrated, which is also owned by ABG,  called "Sports Illustrated for JCPenney." The collection features apparel for men, women and children, and will be in J.C. Penney stores and on its website beginning Jan. 6.