LONDON — Make no mistake: Lily Allen is more than just a talented pop star on the rise.
“She’s an absolute dress-aholic,” said Sarah Walter, head of fashion communications at British high street retailer New Look, which has just drafted Allen to design a capsule collection, to be called Lily Loves.
“When she was breaking last summer, we thought she was very different, and everyone was picking up on her style, particularly the big prom dresses. It’s perfect timing, as we’re selling a colossal amount of dresses, and it’s going to be another big dress season,” Walter added.
Lily Loves, a collection of clothing and accessories, will make its debut in May, just a few weeks after the Kate Moss for Topshop line. It is a one-season deal for the 21-year-old Allen, who has been nominated in four categories for the Brit Awards that took place Wednesday night. Allen released her debut album “Alright, Still” in the U.K. a year ago. She has been nominated for awards including best British female solo artist and best British album.
“Lily’s very real, and she appeals to our customer, and she was an absolute delight to work with,” said Walter. “She chose the prints and colors, and designed a trainer and a shoe.”
The capsule collection will feature six dresses, two pairs of shoes and accessories, each taking their inspiration from Allen’s style. Her signature look is a prom dress teamed with sneakers and gold statement jewelry.
Ellen Von Unwerth shot the campaign images of Allen wearing items from the collection. The images will be on display in New Look stores.
“The styles are all dresses Lily would wear — most have either bustiers or strappy tops; a couple have enormous, fabulous skirts, and there’s a tulip shift and a tiered cotton dress,” said Walter.
She added that colors for the line would be “pretty strong,” with some geometric and floral prints on dresses in cottons, silks and tulles.
The collection will launch May 9 in 312 New Look stores across the U.K. and abroad, including the company’s stores in France, Dubai and Kuwait.
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Price points have not been confirmed, but will be in line with New Look’s mainline prices, which typically range from $8 for a cotton, sleeveless T-shirt to $70 for a silk dress.
Lily Loves follows New Look’s collaboration with London designer Giles Deacon, whose 35-piece collection will bow at the store next month.