Catching Celebrity Wave: DKNY Jeans to Do Rachel Bilson Line
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Published: Thursday, March 13, 2008
By Julee Kaplan
DKNY Jeans is getting more aggressive in the celebrity fashion game — and its partner of choice is actress Rachel Bilson.
Bilson, 26, best known for her leading roles in "The O.C." and the current film "Jumper," joins an array of fashion-hungry celebrities who are entering the fray, including rocker Avril Lavigne, who signed a deal with Kohl's last week
(the store is also said to be in talks with singer Vanessa Carlton for a jewelry line) and Nicole Richie, who is planning to do a maternity collection and a costume jewelry line. And industry executives claim more are in the pipeline.
"This is something that I have been interested in doing for such a long time," Bilson told WWD. "I was just waiting for the perfect opportunity for it to be done right."
For DKNY Jeans, the partnership gave the Liz Claiborne Inc.-owned brand a chance to address a more fashion-forward customer. The company will produce and distribute Bilson's junior sportswear line, which will be called Edie Rose for DKNY Jeans. The collection will hit stores in September.
The deal came together after Bilson contacted DKNY Jeans to see if it would be interested in collaborating with her. "Fans of 'The O.C.' really like DKNY Jeans, and I know they make great stuff, so I thought it could be good," she said.
"Our customer has a real emotional connection with Rachel and she's always on the best-dressed lists, so it seemed like such a win-win for us," said Kevin Monogue, president of DKNY Jeans. "Rachel has real personal style and she is very involved in every step. You can really see that in the collection."
Monogue, who declined to give sales expectations for Edie Rose, said he is positioning the label to be sold alongside the DKNY Jeans mix. He is targeting the same department and specialty stores where the brand is sold, such as Macy's, Lord & Taylor and Nordstrom.
Bilson, a Los Angeles native and self-described fashion addict who is a fixture in the front rows of the New York and European collections, has been doing her research. Since "The O.C." ran its final episode last year, she clearly has more time to work the fashion scene. Not only was she spotted last month during fashion week in New York at Badgley Mischka and Zac Posen, but Bilson and rumored beau actor Hayden Christensen were also featured in a public service announcement for Aéropostale's Teens for Jeans campaign last month. The campaign benefited teen nonprofit organization Do Something to raise awareness of the growing number of homeless teens in the U.S. and Canada.
http://www.wwd.com/sportswear/article/123391
