Kardashian Sisters Sidestep Bebe, Launch Their Own Fashion Line
It was only a matter of time. Those darlings of reality TV and supermarket tabloids otherwise known as the Kardashian sisters are creating their own apparel and accessories line. To lend a little designer cred to the enterprise, Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian have partnered with Australian designer Bruno Schiavi's Jupi Corp. for ready-to-wear clothes, accessories, lingerie, swimwear and shoes that will hit the racks in 2011.
Like actors who are merely biding time until they can direct, the Kardashian sisters happily (over) shared their family's drama on E network's "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." It's increasingly clear though, that what they really wanted all along was a career in fashion. And the trio has done an admirable job of laying the foundation.
The Kardashians own their own boutiques -- dubbed Dash -- in Calabasas, Calif., and Miami (the former since 2006) and collaborate on a collection for the struggling women's retail chain Bebe (BEBE), in stores through resort 2011. Kim recently inked a deal to design a costume jewelry line with Pascal Mouawad for Bebe as well as independently.
When the jewelry partnership was announced back in May, I reported that Bebe's brass were in for a rude awakening when Kim Kardashian realized she could make more money on her own label. Now, just a few months later (with Bebe's sales still in a double-digit slump) Kim tells WWD, "Designing for Bebe was the perfect first step because it really got our feet wet. Now we feel that we are ready to branch off and do our own thing with a company that is widely international."
One thing in the Kardashians favor: they learn quickly. Like so many in the cut-throat world of fashion, the sisters turned "first steps" into stepping on and over to greener (literally) pastures. Not that there's anything wrong with that. They are in the business to make money. And partnering with Schiavi was the first smart move to that end.
His company, privately-held Jupi Corporation, is well-versed in brand building (currently overseeing 8 global brands and counting). Schiavi isn't a stranger to hooking up with reality TV shows either. In April, he signed on to do a licensing deal with NBC's hit weight loss show, The Biggest Loser for a line of athletic apparel. He estimates first-year U.S. sales in the $20 million to $40 million range across categories.
The other thing the Kardashians have going for them is their sizes. The sisters have vastly different body types and are hyper-aware of making sure their offerings go beyond Bebe's uniformly slim, sexpot silhouettes. As such, the sisters plan to model in their own ad campaigns.
The only thing left to determine is which outlets will carry the line. No price points have been discussed, but Schiavo says they're not going to be outrageous ($600 blazers are out), which means they have their work cut out deciding how to balance a collection that has potential for mass-market appeal, without making it too cheap.
Image via Steal their Style CC 2.0
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