U.S. Designer Brands Inc. announced it has entered into partnership with singer and entrepreneur, Jennifer Lopez, for the creation and distribution of a new namesake footwear and accessories line.
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The Columbus, Ohio-based Designer Brands has signed a deal to develop and produce the JLo Jennifer Lopez collection, made up of bags and shoes for women. The collection will be sold exclusively at DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse stores in the United States and Canada, and online at DSW.com. The footwear line will make its debut in spring 2020 with handbags to follow, according to a press release.
“We are excited to bring customers the JLo Jennifer Lopez collection, a new brand available exclusively at DSW. Our collaboration with Jennifer Lopez supports Designer Brands’ strategy of growing market share through differentiated products and differentiated experiences,” said Designer Brands’ chief executive officer, Roger Rawlins.
It is hoped that the partnership will attract new customers to Designer Brands – formerly known as Designer Shoe Warehouse, “letting us leverage in- house brand development, and fully utilize our internal design and sourcing capabilities,” added Rawlins.
The partners will operate the business jointly, with day-to-day activities led by various operating units within Designer Brands. Creative authority will be lead by Lopez and her team, with technical expertise and guidance from Camuto Group, which Designer Brands – formerly known as Designer Shoe Warehouse — acquired in 2018.
“Since the beginning of my career, I have wanted to do it all – music, movies, and fashion. There are so many facets to my career, and that is what I wanted to bring to my collection with DSW. With high quality products and accessible pricing, DSW is the perfect partner to reach a broader audience. It has been incredible to build a brand with the talented team at Camuto Group, and with this collection, it is my hope that people can find shoes they love and express multiple sides of themselves, all while remaining true to their most authentic self,” said Lopez.
Founded in 1969, Designer Brands operates a portfolio of retail concepts in nearly 1,000 locations under the DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, The Shoe Company, and Shoe Warehouse footwear departments in the U.S. through its Affiliated Business Group.
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Designer Brands designs and produces footwear and accessories through Camuto Group, which owns licensing rights for the Jessica Simpson footwear business, and footwear and handbag licenses for Lucky Brand and Max Studio. In partnership with a joint venture with Authentic Brands Group, Designer Brands also owns a stake in Vince Camuto, Louise et Cie, Sole Society, CC Corso Como, Enzo Angiolini and others.