Jason Wu, who received lots of ink recently when Michelle Obama wore one of his dresses when she appeared on Barbara Walters’ Special on the year’s most intriguing people episode, has announced that he will be expanding his brand with a new collection called the Exclusives. According to WWD the capsule collection will have eight pieces — three dresses, two jackets, a knitted cardigan, a knitted T-shirt, and a skirt – and will be priced between $390 and $780 wholesale.
The pieces will be available in more than 15 colors and fabrics that stores can secure as their exclusive (including cashmeres and silk). The line hits stores in mid-June and will be sold alongside Wu’s main collection. Wu is also launching a fur line, mainly minks, under license with Saga Furs. The collection will consist of 15 pieces. 


Wu is quoted in WWD as saying, “I think that, by now, I have really figured the core of the collection. There are certain silhouettes that, no matter what we show on the runway, we continue to offer off the runway. I started The Exclusives to make it more official, featuring chic dresses, separates and knitwear, which have done well for us on the retail side. I think people want special things. My clients are also not stationary. They travel, and shop everywhere. If they go to Los Angeles or Chicago, for instance, it’s nice for them to see different things. It’s also a better way to work with our retailers. In this economic climate, it’s important to zero in on what our clients want. As the collection grows, the runway shows start to become more directional. This way, there will always be our bestseller pieces in the showroom. It will allow me to become more experimental, and then to take, perhaps, a color or print from the runway and make it in a silhouette that we know sells well.”


Images courtesy of the Fashion Spot forums.
