NEW YORK — At least one designer at the upcoming New York shows is looking forward to seeing her creations head straight into the mass market.
Laura Poretzky, founder and designer behind the contemporary sportswear brand Abaeté, has united with Payless ShoeSource to develop the Abaeté for Payless footwear collection, which will step off her catwalk show in the 7th on Sixth tents in Bryant Park next Wednesday evening and on to shelves nationwide at the $2.6 billion footwear retailer by September.
Poretzky’s partnership with Payless is a first for the 50-year-old Topeka, Kan.-based shoe company, but simply the most recent in a growing list of collaborations in the accessories arena between mass companies and major designers.
Yohji Yamamoto kicked off the trend by joining up with Adidas for a line of sneakers; Jil Sander and Alexander McQueen each have worked with Puma on their own collections of athletic shoes; last fall, Tara Subkoff of Imitation of Christ created designer footwear for Easy Spirit, and jeweler Solange Azagury-Partridge designed her own line of necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets for fast-fashion retailer H&M. That retailer earlier had collaborated with Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney on capsule clothing lines, a trend continued this week when Target launched its Luella collection by British designer Luella Bartley.
“What designers like Jil Sander and Stella McCartney have done [through their partnerships] is an inspiration because it allows great design to be more accessible to the masses,” said Matthew Rubel, who was the chairman of high-end shoe firm Cole Haan for seven years before taking on the role of president and chief executive officer of Payless six months ago.
“When I first came to Payless, part of the reason I joined the company was because I believed the broader marketplace was becoming more accepting of great design,” said Rubel. “When I looked at what I could do to make the company more exciting, I thought if I could democratize the best of new design and bring it to the masses at a great value, we could inspire new possibilities for the mass market.”
Rubel believed he also could help the high-end market, as well, boosting the cash flow for a brand like Abaeté, which has only been in business for two years and is under the radar in comparison to, say, Sander or McCartney. Payless will sponsor Poretzky’s show and the designer will get royalties from sales of Abaeté for Payless footwear. The Payless contract with Poretzky lasts through next January, and has the potential to be renewed, although Rubel is interested in adding on other designers whose names he was not yet willing to discuss.
Related Articles
You May Also Like
“The idea revolves around taking emerging designers like Laura who have a pulse on what is going on for the youthful consumer today,” said Rubel. “Too many young designers who are full of creativity aren’t supported, and creativity is what inspires consumers today. Laura is clearly an emerging talent in the industry and we are doing our part to support that talent and at the same time bring that new and exciting sensibility to the country.”
The 28-year-old Poretzky, a Rhode Island School of Design graduate and former men’s wear designer for Polo Ralph Lauren, said, “This gives me a great opportunity to broaden what I’m doing. When we got under way, Payless didn’t give me many restrictions.” But she added that, because it was the first time she designed shoes, it took her many tries to get the desired proportions.
Poretzky created the footwear to coordinate with Abaeté’s fall collection, which draws its inspiration from Asian silk-screening, kimonos and martial arts uniforms. The shoe line features four styles: the Sky boot, a high-heeled to-the-knee silhouette accented with overstitching on the front panel and buckled straps about the calf; the Casey flat, featuring overstitching and a tie at the toe; the Oliver pump, with a cutout side and bow detail at the front, and the T-strap Luke evening sandal. Styles are designed in leather and satin, and often feature graphic color contrasts such as navy paired with violet, as well as polkadots.
Rubel said the footwear collection will be developed for mass production, with the aim of maintaining the look as much as possible, while having a durable shoe that will retail from $20 to $40. Average prices at Payless are less than $14. Payless still hasn’t determined distribution, but anticipates the Abaeté shoes will appear in a few hundred of the company’s 4,600 retail stores throughout North, Central and South America. Metropolitan locations will be favored. Once the collection sells out, it will not be restocked.
Rubel hasn’t firmed up the marketing plan, but foresees a visual display at the front of stores as well as posters announcing the collaboration. Print advertisements also might be part of the marketing plan.
“We believe this will be a very profitable venture for us,” said Rubel. “It’s going to make us the place to get fun and fashionable footwear at a great value. It’s going to bring us into the world of design, not by interpreting the work of others, but by creating original work of our own.”