The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC: February 21, 2025 edition

Welcome to The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights.

Nike just announced a long-term partnership with Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims to create a new line that merges “Skims’ focus on body confidence and self-expression with Nike’s relentless pursuit of excellence,” per a brand announcement. NikeSkims (styled as NikeSKIMS) will include apparel, footwear and accessories designed to meet the needs of both elite and everyday athletes, with products “crafted to fit every curve and enhance the body’s natural form.” The line will debut online and at select retail locations in the U.S. this spring, with global rollout planned for 2026.

See also: “Spanx launches debut shapewear collection with Supima cotton” (Fashion United)

Previously: “Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nike host fourth annual ‘It’s Her Shot’ tour,” from the May 10, 2024 edition of The Week in Retail.

More brand launches:

• “Igloo Unveils Exclusive Peanuts 75th Anniversary Collection” (License Global)
• “e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Mint Melt Cooling Face Primer Smells Sweet & Refreshing” (Trend Hunter)
• “Diesel expands into tech accessories” (Rivet)
• “Macy’s Hotel Collection Celebrates 25th Anniversary” (Store Brands)
• “SHEIN Launches Newmoji and SmileyWorld Collections” (License Global)

As part of its efforts to boost sustainable sourcing, Walmart just announced it will begin using software from Helios AI that will help the retailer “improve its evaluation of medium- and long-term climate risks for the global agricultural supply chain,” Grocery Dive’s Catherine Douglas Moran reports. Using artificial intelligence (AI), Helios’ software can help calculate climate risk, enabling Walmart to predict the price and availability of commodities such as produce, Douglas Moran notes. The partnership came about as a result of Helios winning Walmart’s 11th annual Open Call competition in the software category.

Previously:

• “Walmart creates new crowdsourcing program to spur sustainable packaging innovation,” from the June 7, 2024 edition of The Week in Retail.
• “Walmart’s American Farmers campaign highlights the people behind its produce via shoppable pages,” from the July 19, 2024 edition of The Week in Retail.

More commerce operations and partnerships:

• “Kirkland’s Looks to Beyond, Inc. Partnership to Propel Profitability” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Ikea integrates Taskrabbit booking service into checkout” (Retail Dive)
• “Ulta Beauty teams up with Lucky Partners on real-time product availability” (Drug Store News)
• “Lucky Links with Ulta Beauty to Create Seamless Omnichannel Beauty Shopping Experience” (Happi)
• “Lowe’s Aligns Pro Loyalty Program with Consumer Offering” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Ahold Delhaize renews strategic partnership with Circana” (Drug Store News)
• “Etsy refines search experience for ‘people that don’t speak merch’” (Retail Dive)
• ICYMI: “Dick’s quietly scales back outdoors business” (Retail Dive)

That’s the amount that global footwear company Caleres will pay to acquire luxury footwear brand Stuart Weitzman from Coach parent company Tapestry Inc., in a deal announced this week, Footwear News’ David Moin reports.

More fashion and retail news:

• “Steve Madden’s Times Square Flagship Gets New Look” (Footwear Jones)
• “Vestiaire Collective & Paris Hilton Debut a Charity Closet Sale” (Trend Hunter)
• “Saks Fifth Avenue opens appointment-only personal shopping, styling space in LA” (Chain Store Age)
• “Wrangler parent company to buy Helly Hansen” (Fashion Dive)

Coach just debuted a new Gen Z–focused campaign titled “On Your Own Time,” starring global ambassadors Elle Fanning, Nazha, Kōki and Youngji Lee, that’s designed to inspire “audiences to reclaim agency over the pace of life,” per a brand announcement. Featuring two films — one starring Fanning and the other Nazha — the campaign emphasizes the idea of living “On Your Own Time,” as each character faces a barrage of phone notifications “that all demand they constantly keep up,” as they navigate busy city streets. Finally deciding to put their phones away (inside their Coach bags, of course), they realize they can move at their own pace — a mindset that’s visually captured through their ability to control the flow of time around them. The campaign is meant to promote Coach’s Spring 2025 collection.

More commerce campaigns:

• “Stella McCartney Creates a Flock of AI Birds for New Campaign That Warns of Extinction” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• ICYMI: “True Religion centers on authenticity for ‘Own Your True’ brand platform” (Marketing Dive)
• ICYMI: “Elmo suggests a more chill approach to running in On campaign” (Ad Age)

Williams Sonoma just announced a new collaboration with Michelin-starred restaurateur, TV personality and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto on a line of sauces and ramen bases designed “to bring the authentic flavors of Japan into the home kitchen,” per a brand announcement. Created using the same ingredients used at Morimoto’s restaurants, the Morimoto Collection for Williams Sonoma features “bold Asian-fusion flavors” — from spicy garlic soy sauce to sesame ramen dressing. Shoppers can sample products from the new line today and tomorrow (Feb. 21-22) at any Williams Sonoma store. Prices range from $14.95 to $29.95.

More brand collabs:

• “Home Chef x Ayesha Curry Team Up for Exclusive Recipes” (Trend Hunter)
• “Adidas Unveils Debut Collaboration with Smiley Originals and SmileyWorld” (License Global)
• “The Crocs X Monsters, Inc. Collection Merges Comfort with Pixar Magic” (Trend Hunter)
• “Michael Kors X Suki Waterhouse Unveil a Vacation-Ready Line” (Trend Hunter)
• “HEYDUDE Launches Golf Shoe in Collaboration with Pins & Aces” (License Global)