It wasn’t so long ago that hospital scrubs bore an unfortunate resemblance to prison uniforms: shapeless, unflattering affairs that were so oblivious to aesthetics that manufacturers often sewed the size tag to the outside of the garments.

“Healthcare professionals really only had one choice for their uniform and their scrub wear and they were these sort of boxy, scratchy, medical-supply versions of apparel and uniforms,” Bené Eaton, CMO of DTC scrubs brand Figs, told Retail Brew.

About a dozen years ago, Heather Hasson was visiting with a friend who was a nurse at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and who was wearing just such a set of schlubby scrubs (schrubs?), and Hasson promised her, as the oft-told story goes, that she’d help her find some better workwear.

She did, and then some. In 2013, along with Tina Spear, Hasson co-founded Figs, now lauded for its flattering fits, moisture-wicking fabrics, and fashionable colors. Forbes called Figs the “Lululemon of scrubs.”

Now the brand has launched a new collection, Extremes, with new styles, advanced fabrics, and higher price tags than its core collection. It recently launched a year-long campaign for the collection with a series of short films featuring medical professionals whose work is inspiring and whose physically taxing work demands well-made clothing.

Keep reading here.—AAN

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Summer shopping got an early start this year, according to new data Shopify provided exclusively to Retail Brew.

The e-commerce platform’s running list of the top 20 category changes, which highlights the products with the biggest month over month sales gains, showed that in April, shoppers stocked up for the warm weather by buying more outdoor, pool, and golf equipment.

Poolside purchases:

• Sales of pool toys were up 231%.
• Pool sweep and vacuum sales grew 151%.
• Outdoor umbrella and sunshade accessories were up 146%.

The great outdoors:

• Push and pedal riding vehicle sales grew 212%.
• Tow-behind mowers were up 185%.
• Insect repellent sales increased 90%.

In the golf category:

• Golf club headcover sales were up 128%.
• Golf ball sales grew 73%.
• Gold club parts and accessories increased 54%.

Less predictably, sales of musical equipment also surged last month—and the trend happened to coincide with the widely streamed Coachella Festival.

Keep reading here.—AV

In multiple Q1 earnings calls on Tuesday, executives highlighted that US consumers are prioritizing affordability, seeking deals, and trading down when possible.

As Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told shareholders, “Customers are shopping, but remain cautious.”

To accommodate this more cautious consumer, Jassy stressed the importance of “offering everyday low prices in this uncertain economic environment.”

“Everyday low prices” is a common industry term for a pricing strategy that promises consistently low prices outside of any promotional activity—and it showed up in another major company’s earnings call as well.

Keep reading here.—AV

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