In 2015, outdoor clothing retailer Preston launched its line of “outdoor basics” clothing to compete with brands like Levi’s, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Target.
But the line’s lack of outdoor appeal and the company’s lackadaisical response to the consumer’s demand made it a “failure” in the eyes of the consumer, Preston CEO Richard Stapleton told TechCrunch in 2015.
After losing a deal with a competitor, Preton had to settle for being a niche clothing retailer.
Now the company is looking to find a buyer for its first “basic” line, which will debut in spring.
The “basic,” in this case, is not the same as the line that’s currently available, but it does have some similarities, according to the company.
Preston’s basic line consists of a wool jacket, a hooded sweatshirt, and a long-sleeve, button-down shirt.
The “basic clothing line,” on the other hand, will be limited to basic items, including jeans, a shirt, and sneakers.
Preton also plans to launch a “premium” line that will offer more sophisticated apparel, including jackets and pants, which is a bit less ambitious than Preston.
“There are some basic items in the basic line, but there will be some of that premium stuff in there as well,” Stapelton told Tech Crunch in 2015, referring to Preston items like a long sleeve shirt and long pants.
The company also plans a limited-edition line, with the first batch of basic clothing to be available in spring of 2020.
Stapleton also said that Preston is looking at a few other areas of growth in the next year or two, including its “basic line” and its premium line.
“Our next step will be the premium line,” Stacleton said.
“We have a couple other things in mind as well.
One of them is that the premium stuff, we want to make sure it’s not too basic.
The other is that we want it to be a little bit different, with a little more options.”
For example, the premium Preston line might have “a little more versatility” than the basic, Staplen said.
Prestead hopes that by the time it launches its first full line of clothing, it can offer all of its products in more diverse ways.