Dive Brief:
- In a bid to expand its retail presence, DTC intimates brand Knix has formed a wholesale partnership with Canadian department store Holt Renfrew, according to a company press release.
- The partnership calls for a select offering of Knix products to be featured both online and at six of the retailer’s Canadian stores, including two pop-ups in Toronto and Vancouver. Both pop-ups, each about 180 square feet, are open now and will close on May 26.
- Among the Knix products being offered through Holt Renfrew are the brand’s leakproof underwear, its Revolution Bra, gossamer lace sets, bodysuits, shapewear and a recently launched swim collection.
Dive Insight:
While Knix’s business is primarily DTC, the wholesale expansion with Holt Renfrew is another way for the company to reach more consumers where they shop.
“This partnership with an iconic Canadian retailer who we’ve long admired, is an incredible opportunity for Knix to expand its customer base,” Joanna Griffiths, founder and president of Toronto-based Knix, said in a statement. “Offering our customers another in-person touchpoint is something we’re continuously exploring.”
Knix has evolved from an inclusive leakproof intimates brand into a label that also offers activewear and recently launched its latest swimwear collection. The “Out of Office” swimwear campaign launched in March and features four founders of prominent women-owned beauty and accessories businesses, including Deepica Mutyala of Live Tinted, Babba Rivera of Ceremonia, Katie Sturino of MegaBabe, and Natalie Dusome of Poppy & Peonies.
Knix has embraced celebrities to help endorse its products, including actor Gabrielle Union and U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, the latter of whom teamed with the brand last summer to pay athletes to talk about their periods while competing in sports.
Knix runs 12 brick-and-mortar stores in Canada. Its products are also sold through Sporting Life, a Canadian sports and fashion retailer, and through an online store on Amazon. Knix did operate three U.S. stores in California — in San Diego, Santa Monica, and San Francisco — that were opened in the fall of 2021, but have since closed, leaving the brand with no American presence for the time being, although that may change.
“Much like our approach to Canadian retail, we piloted three store concepts in the U.S. and tested various store formats,” Griffiths said in an email. “We are excited to put those learnings into practice in the U.S. later this year.”
Founded in 2013 by Griffiths, Knix was acquired in 2022 for $320 million by Essity, an international health and hygiene company. It claimed sales of $170 million in 2022 and double-digit growth over the ensuing years, according to a company spokesperson.