NEW YORK and TOPEKA, Kan., Sept. 2 NE-Payless-Eisner-'09
NEW YORK and TOPEKA, Kan., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Payless
ShoeSource and fashion designer Stacey Bendet Eisner announced today that they
have extended their agreement for Bendet to continue to design her popular
collection, alice + olivia for Payless(TM), Bendet's footwear label that was
first launched this past spring exclusively available at Payless stores,
payless.com, and alice + olivia boutiques.
The original agreement covers the spring, summer and fall 2008 seasons.
This new deal includes alice + olivia women's collections including shoes and
handbags for spring and summer 2009. Also, as part of the new contract,
Bendet will design girl's shoes under the alice + olivia for Payless brand,
which will be available beginning spring 2009.
Bendet joins Lela Rose, Abaete designer Laura Poretzky, and style icon
Patricia Field as guest designers for Payless -- select fashion designers and
stylists who create designer footwear and accessory collections for Payless
featuring the latest runway and red carpet styling details. Typical pricing
for the Payless designer lines are under $40 a pair. Payless' designer
collections are among the most broadly distributed designer footwear lines
available in the United States today.
"We are excited to continue to bring women across America -- and now
little girls -- Stacey's fun and flirty designs in the popular and well-
selling alice + olivia for Payless label," said LuAnn Via, president and chief
executive officer for Payless ShoeSource. "Stacey's original designs have been
very successful for us, and we look forward to seeing her continued creativity
and strong understanding of footwear and accessory trends introduced at New
York Fashion Week next week, and then later available to shoppers in our
stores."
alice + olivia for Payless spring 2009 women's collection will be unveiled
at the alice + olivia presentation a week from today at New York Fashion Week.
The collection will later launch in select Payless stores and Payless.com in
spring 2009 with a summer collection to follow.
"I am proud to partner with Payless on my first-ever footwear label and to
extend our relationship to cover the spring and summer 2009 seasons," said
Stacey Bendet Eisner. "alice + olivia for Payless is designed to coordinate
with the alice + olivia ready-to-wear collection, and I can't wait to unveil
the full spring collection at Fashion Week. It's always a thrill to see the
creative shoe designs at Fashion Week and then in stores -- the instore styles
are near-exact to the runway shoes I design. Payless does an amazing job."
To introduce its spring '09 designer lines, Payless will be at New York
Fashion Week with all three designers -- Laura Poretzky at the Abaete show,
Lela Rose at the Lela Rose show and Stacey Bendet at the alice + olivia
presentation. Each collection will be unique and reflective of each
designer's signature style: Poretzky's "American international," Rose's
strong focus on "classic with a twist" and Bendet's "contemporary retro."
About alice + olivia
Founded in 2002 by Stacey Bendet, alice + olivia launched its "just pants"
collection to rave reviews. Soon thereafter, Andrew Rosen, founder of Theory,
became Stacey's partner in the company. Using innovative fabrics and unique
designs, alice + olivia successfully expanded into tops, dresses, eveningwear,
sweaters, bathing suits, denim and men's, creating a unique lifestyle brand
for today's retro sophisticate. The collection is available at its signature
boutiques and in over 500 stores around the world such as Barneys, Bergdorf
Goodman, Henri Bendels, Scoop, and Neiman Marcus.
About Payless ShoeSource
Payless ShoeSource, Inc., a unit of Collective Brands, Inc., is the
largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere and is
dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories and
inspiring fun, fashion possibilities for the family at a great value. As of
the end of first quarter 2008, the company operated more than 4,500 stores.
In addition, customers can buy shoes over the Internet through Payless.com(R)
at http://www.payless.com.
Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling
lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories
to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units covering a
powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling
channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. Collective
Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on democratizing fashion and
design in footwear and accessories through its more than 4,500-store retail
chain, with its brands American Eagle(TM), Airwalk(R), Dexter(R), Champion(R)
and designer collections Abaete for Payless, Lela Rose for Payless and alice +
olivia for Payless, among others; Stride Rite, focused on lifestyle and
athletic branded footwear and high-quality children's footwear sold primarily
through wholesaling, with its brands including Stride Rite(R), Keds(R), Sperry
Top-Sider(R), Robeez(R), and Saucony(R), among others; and Collective
Licensing International, the brand development, management and global
licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk(R), Vision Street
Wear(R), Lamar(R), Sims(R), LTD(R), genetic(R), Dukes(TM), Rage(R), Ultra-
Wheels(R), and Skate Attack(R). Information about, and links for shopping on,
each of the Collective Brand's units can be found at
http://www.collectivebrands.com.
SOURCE Payless ShoeSource, Inc.
