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Lela Rose for Payless
from fashionweekdaily
Lela Rose’s sweet and feminine designs, like printed bubble, strapless brocade, and burlap tank dresses, may fetch up to $2,100, but come February, her feet will have gone mass, thanks to a design collaboration with Payless ShoeSource announced today. As part of the deal, Rose will create Lela Rose for Payless, a line of original footwear and accessory designs that will be unveiled at her Fall 2007 runway show next February in at Bryant Park in New York.“Lela is a tremendous talent and has a truly unique view of American fashion,” said Matt Rubel, CEO of Payless ShoeSource and a veteran of Cole Haan. “Her ready-to-wear label has a national and international retail presence and a strong following by celebrities and other well-known women who adore the casual luxury of her clothing. She has a focus on beautiful, hand finished design with strong material interest, and we look forward to celebrating her design esthetic and bringing it to women across America with the Lela Rose for Payless collections available only at Payless.”
The collection will include a mix of wool and patent leather and be manufactured in China.
Though Rubel declined to discuss how much the deal was worth, he did note that the contract includes a holiday 2007 collection that will debut in November. This isn’t Rose’s first encounter with Payless; the company provided her with shoes for her Spring 2006 runway show in September, which were not commercially produced.
“Every woman knows that a good shoe is hard to find, especially one that is affordable with impeccable quality and design,” said Rose. “That’s the goal of this alliance. With my level of design, combined with Payless’ expertise on how to commercialize the design with great quality and at a great price, we’ll do just that. I am excited to bring my designs to more and more women through this arrangement.”
Payless’ approach in converging mass and class isn’t new, of course. Nine West trumped their collaborations with Thakoon, Sophia Kokosalaki, and Vivienne Westwood, and H&M gained an entirely new audience thanks to its partnerships with Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, and Viktor & Rolf. Rose joins Laura Poretzky, who created her first collection for Payless under the Abaeté label last season, which drew positive feedback from customers.
The announcement could not have come at a better time for Rose, who will soon be needing stylish shoes that stress the comfort factor. The designer gave birth to her second child Monday, a healthy baby girl named Rosey Potter Jones weighing 8.1 lbs. She joins her five-year old brother, Grey. The family is said to be doing fine.
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