NEW YORK — Frederick’s of Hollywood has signed an agreement with celebrity stylists and designers Cristina Ehrlich and Estee Stanley to produce a co-branded collection of intimate apparel.
This will be the first collaborative venture in Frederick’s 60-year history of creating sexy lingerie for the American marketplace. Until now, the lingerie retailer has kept the design and production within the company for all of its channels of distribution, which include 150 boutiques, catalogues and an e-commerce business, fredericks.com.
Ehrlich and Stanley dress celebrities, ranging from Penélope Cruz, Demi Moore and Mandy Moore, to Mary Kate and Ashley Olson, Jessica Biel and Eva Mendes. They are also the designers of Miss Davenporte, a contemporary label launched last year.
Linda LoRe, president and chief executive officer, said, “Cristina and Estee, with their hands-on experience dressing Hollywood’s leading ladies and collective eye for design, are the ideal partners for this venture.”
The goal of the partnership will be to offer lingerie items that will give women styling “solutions and secrets of the stars,” said Yolanda Dunbar, vice president of marketing.
“What we liked so much was their diverse clientele,” Dunbar said. “It’s not just young Hollywood, it’s Hollywood’s A list. We are looking at this not necessarily as a category, but as a solution — celebrity stylists’ secrets that are coming to life.”
Dunbar said the red carpet-inspired collection, which will feature labels bearing both the Frederick’s name and Cristina Ehrlich’s and Estee Stanley’s monikers, will be introduced for holiday 2006 selling in Frederick’s stores, catalogue and online business. Subsequent collections will follow through 2008.
“It will launch before the awards season begins. Cristina and Estee will launch it with us at our Hollywood flagship,” said Dunbar, noting the line will feature special packaging.
She added that a presentation will be made to the media in New York before the line bows at retail. Styles and prices have not been set.