Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

What We Know About Free Assembly: Walmart’s New Affordable Fashion Line for Men

Free Assembly Walmart Fashion Brand
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Walmart is entering the fashion game.

Recommended Videos

On September 21, the big-box store announced the launch of

Free Assembly,

a new fashion brand for men and women featuring fall staples at insanely affordable prices.

“We’ve built an in-house fashion design team with decades of experience designing for modern American brands known for mass appeal,” Denise Incandela, head of Walmart Fashion Group, wrote in a press release. “This new brand is born from thoughtful, simple design, quality fabrics, modern silhouettes, and styles updated for today.”

The brand’s main selling point is its value. For example, the most expensive item from its 25-piece menswear collection is a $45 parka jacket (yes, you read that correctly). And denim lovers can scoop up a pair of selvedge slim fit jeans for $40, which is quite a steal, given that quality selvedge can easily sell for triple that amount.

Free Assembly
Image used with permission by copyright holder

By the looks of it, Free Assembly also delivers plenty of style for your buck, as the collection is made up of no-frills tops and bottoms that will still look decent for years to come; pants are cut in straight and slim-fit silhouettes, two-pocket flannel shirts comfortably hug your shoulders, and smart undershirts could pass for business casual during your work-from-home calls. While you won’t find any faux leather jackets, tie-dye hoodies, or other flash-in-the-pan trends here, this stuff is made to last. Think of it as an even more affordable version of Gap, which is no surprise, given that Free Assembly is designed by Dwight Fenton, who has also worked for Bonobos, J. Crew, and Old Navy.

“I’m confident that this new brand will quickly become an essential part of their everyday wardrobe,” Incandela said. Though time will tell on that statement, we have to tip our hat to Walmart, who knows a market opportunity when they see it. Now, well into our pandemic reality and seeming economic freefall, guys are being more frugal (to say the least) with how they spend their hard-earned paychecks, especially when it comes to their wardrobes. And unless you want to turn to thrifting, Free Assembly is one of the most competitively priced menswear collections out there now.

Christian Gollayan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As the former Associate Managing Editor, Christian Gollayan was in charge of the entire editorial team across The Manual. He…
New York Men’s Day Debut: Max Esmail honors the artist’s creative vision
Creating a space for innovation at NYMD with Max Esmail
Max Esmail Hero

New York Fashion Week has been a staple in the fashion industry's calendar since World War 2, where designers and brands come together to show off for the press and the buyers who drive the industry's narrative. However, New York Men's Day is much younger as it only appeared in 2014 to showcase young menswear talent looking to break into the industry and take the style world by storm. Essential menswear brands with a story to tell, like Y.Chroma by Max Israel, make splashes in the small space with innovative designs and a goal to implant inspiration in your mind about your style. There were multiple firsts this year, and the Max Esmail NYMD Debut became a space for the creative.
The creative's energy

With the NYC skyline as a backdrop, Max Esmail introduced his Fall and Winter 2025 collection, 55 Bond St. Inspired by his studio; it became a place for creative innovation steeped in an artistic design influenced by modernist architecture and Bauhaus principles. Using leather, marble, and tubular steel, inspired by designers such as Breuer, Kjaerholm, and Mies van der Rohe, Esmail brings sheik minimalist menswear to an ordinarily inaccessible high fashion world of New York Fashion Week. Standouts of the collection are a handful of leather jackets and other outerwear for every moment of your time in blustery New York City and suiting, putting a modern twist on classic silhouettes. While this is a debut for NYMD, a collection like 55 Bond St. looks to the future as a brand ready to spring onto the scene for years to come.

Read more
We finally know when Salehe Bembury and New Balance’s next collab will drop
Salehe Bembury, New Balance's collab is here
side view of new balance sneakers

Separately, Salehe Bembury and New Balance know what it takes to develop successful and eye-catching collaborations. Together, the two brands are known to create trendsetting designs that develop cult-like followings. For that reason, it’s well known that when Salehe Bembury and New Balance collaborate, it’s bound to send waves through the footwear industry. Thankfully, fans of both brands won’t have to wait long to get their hands on their long-awaited collaborative sneaker, as the long-awaited design finally has an arrival date. Fresh off the heels of separate collaborations, Salehe Bembury and New Balance’s newest collaborative design is an almost understated design that carries plenty of styles. Far from their previous “Heat Be Hot” design, the latest design is a must-have for those wanting a classic yet recognizable design. 

 
Get ready for “GROWTH BE THE TREE” 

Read more
5 key tricks for mastering men’s winter fashion this season
Three ways to keep stylish during the winter vortex
Man walking outside with coat in nature

As the entire country seems to be dealing with the blustery cold weather sweeping the nation, we find ourselves needing to bundle up to save ourselves from the ever-dropping temperatures. The biggest problem with budling up if you're a man is you tend to lose all sense of style when you focus on warmth. While function is more important than fashion in numerous situations, it isn't fun to sacrifice style for warmth. That is why we at The Manual like to dispel the rumor that you have to choose one or the other. Men's winter fashion doesn't have to be unstylish. As a matter of fact, entire industries and brands exist to keep you warm while maintaining your element of style.

We put together of list of five key concepts that will make it easier for you to navigate the cold, all while looking great. Stick with these, and you will make it to spring in no time while still being the center of your group's sartorial envy.
Focus on the fabric

Read more