The jeans and lifestyle brand Mustang and the fashion company C&A will end their longstanding partnership on 1 February 2023. Despite the cooperation, which has been marked by success, Mustang will leave 303 of the 503 stores on 1 August 2022, with the four-year cooperation to come to a complete end in 2023.
Mustang products can currently be found in branded areas in the womenswear, men’s and boys’ departments in C&A stores throughout Europe, while they are also present in C&A’s online shop. “With Mustang, C&A has achieved the goal of appealing to new target groups and strengthening the jeans assortments in the upper price range. Furthermore, we have improved our planned sales productivity,” says Martijn Van der Zee, Chief Merchandise and Sustainability Officer for C&A Europe.
As part of a strategic realignment of business in Europe, C&A has decided to focus more strongly on its own brand. “We are sorry to hear about this decision by C&A, but we understand the reasons for it very well and wish C&A all the best for the future. At the same time, however, the coming change will support our strategy,” says Andreas Baur, CEO of Mustang.
In late 2020, as part of an enhancement of its strategy, Mustang began to modify its product structure and introduce new styles. It also initiated a growth offensive. The justification for this new approach was confirmed by stable double-digit growth in the most recent pre-order rounds. In January 2022 the company will present its new brand image and brand communication, which will be officially launched in the fall/winter season of 2022.
“Our goal is to attract younger and more international customers to our denim brand and increase our brand appeal to generate additional growth,” says Baur. “As part of this, we will also expand our middle and upper price ranges in order to offer both our wholesale customers and our own retail stores the opportunity to generate higher average receipts. This is where we see strong demand in the current market.” Additional plans in Mustang’s strategy include improving sustainability, creating a unique shopping experience and strengthening the company’s economic performance.
