NEW YORK, Feb. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- New York Fashion Designer Christian
Siriano, season four winner of Bravo's Project Runway reality fashion series,
will debut his first-ever shoe collection with Payless ShoeSource on the
runway today at his ready-to-wear show at New York Fashion Week. After
presenting his first stand-alone collection for Spring 2009 at last
September's shows to critical acclaim, Siriano will now expand his offerings
with the Christian Siriano for Payless(TM) designer label -- his footwear and
handbag collection designed to complement his RTW line. The new Payless
collection will be exclusively available at Payless stores and Payless.com in
September.
Christian Siriano's Fall '09 RTW collection takes its inspiration from the
natural beauty of the Egyptian landscape. The golden tones of the desert and
the pyramids are brought to life in the form of sculptural, but feminine
sportswear. Sophisticated with a touch of drama, silhouettes featuring rich
teal and turquoise recall the waters of the Nile.
The Christian Siriano for Payless styles unveiled today take Christian's
sleek runway aesthetic in an edgy direction. Each of the five shoe styles --
with creative names like Slither, Saunter, SheDevil, Sand Strap and Strut --
feature Christian's unique chunky conical heel designed to look like an
inverted pyramid. Handbags -- the Shanbag tote and Sassafras clutch --
coordinate with the footwear silhouettes: two ankle booties and three hidden
platform pumps, with accents of pyramid studs and draped chains. Rich
materials such as shiny dark brown snakeskin and Egyptian hieroglyphic teal
fabric also echo Christian's Egyptian inspiration.
"Christian is a tremendously innovative and creative design talent, and
his first-ever collection for Payless is a fabulous representation of his
unique vision," said LuAnn Via, CEO and president of Payless ShoeSource. "His
Egyptian inspiration is reflected in amazing styling details and accents, and
we expect shoppers to be thrilled to have access to Christian's affordable
accessories come fall."
Since his Project Runway fame, Siriano has gone on to build his label,
Christian Siriano, with a strong celebrity following including Victoria
Beckham, Anne Hathaway, Heidi Klum, Becki Newton and Vanessa Williams, among
others.
"This is the first shoe collection I've designed and Payless has been
fabulous," said Christian Siriano. "It was really incredible to have no
limitation in shapes, materials or details. This is the way I think when
designing my ready-to-wear pieces -- from a completely blank canvas. I can't
wait to see the shoes on the runway!"
About Payless Designer Collections & Guest Designers
Payless is on a mission to democratize fashion and design in footwear and
accessories. The Payless Designer Collections -- seasonal lines of original
footwear and handbags created by New York fashion designers and hot off the
runway -- are a key piece of that strategy.
Siriano joins Lela Rose and the Lela Rose for Payless and Unforgettable
Moments(TM) by Lela Rose labels, Stacey Bendet with alice + olivia for
Payless, Abaete for Payless designer Laura Poretzky, and style icon Patricia
Field with Patricia Field for Payless capsule collections. This select group
of fashion designers and stylists create designer footwear and accessory
collections for Payless featuring the latest runway and red carpet styling
details. Each collection is unique and reflective of the designer's signature
style. Payless' designer collections are among the most broadly distributed
designer footwear labels available in the United States today. For more
information about Payless at New York Fashion Week and the company's Guest
Designers, please see paylessontherunway.com.
About Christian Siriano
Please see http://www.christianvsiriano.com for information. Christian
Siriano is represented by Designers Management Agency.
About Payless & Collective Brands, Inc.
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 third 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), Sims(R), Lamar(R) and LTD(R). Information about, and links for
shopping on, each of the Collective Brand's units can be found at
http://www.collectivebrands.com.
