Why are Walmart's clothes so good right now? (2024)

Do you know that feeling of trying to find something, only to discover it's been right under your nose the whole time? It's a feeling that begs the question: Have you noticed lately how dang good Walmart's clothes are right now? As in, you might want to consider going out of your way specifically to stop by your local supercenter to try on a few things in-person. They're that good.

Maybe the fall clothes just look especially nice this year is because it's been one very hot American summer — much of the U.S. staggered through weeks of record-breaking heat this year — and the arrival of sweater weather is a very welcome relief. Or maybe we all just really love fall clothes more than spring and summer ones. (After all, you rarely hear someone say they love shorts and tank-top weather, but many people can't wait to pull out their sweaters, coats and scarves).

Or, and perhaps a more plausible theory, is that Walmart's in-house apparel brands have actually been better lately.

In fact, there is some strong evidence for that theory. In early 2021 Walmart brought on high-end fashion designer Brandon Maxwell as Creative Director to oversee two of the company's in-house elevated fashion brands, Free Assembly and Scoop. Free Assembly was launched in 2020 and showcases elevated and modern fashion essentials with an eye toward thoughtful, simple design. Scoop, on the other hand, was a boutique fashion chain that began in New York City in 1996 that billed itself as “the ultimate closet." In 2019 Walmart revived the defunct label and began repositioning it as a private fashion brand.

Maxwell, born and raised in Longview, Texas, is perhaps best known for his youthful, beautiful and timeless red-carpet gowns and award-winning runway designs, outfitting celebrities such as Cate Blanchett and Lady Gaga.

"Working with Walmart has long been a dream of mine," Maxwell told Walmart back in 2021. "Like many people across the country who live in a small town, Walmart was the destination for everything where I grew up in Texas, including clothing."

Many of the current designs from Free Assembly and Scoop build on timeless silhouettes with a nod toward more stylish trends for fall and back-to-school season: Denim-on-denim in the form of a button-front cotton midi dress; a $40 quilted jacket that looks like something you'd find at Everlane; buckled slingbacks that look quite similar to a triple-digit pair from Ganni. These aren't just pieces to buy when you're on a budget, they're pieces to buy because you really want to wear them.

Take a look below at even more fall fashion pieces at Walmart right now that are worth browsing.

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