NEW YORK — Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are expanding their fashion empire.
The former Full House stars are launching a junior clothing line called Olsenboye that will be sold exclusively at J.C. Penney's stores, Women's Wear Daily reports.
The casual sportswear and accessories collection, which was named after the Olsens' ancestral name, will include denim, bottoms, tops, dresses, skirts, shorts, jackets, handbags and shoes. The line will retail from $20 to $50 and is being designed to be mixed to create different looks. The items will be available in sizes 0 to 15, with travel-inspired mini collections occasionally mixed in that will reflect the looks and trends of different cities.
"It's really important that Olsenboye serves lots of girls," Liz Sweney, Penney's executive vice president and general merchandise manager of women's, told WWD. "It's not just about girls size zero or one."
The collection will have a major rollout in February 2010 that will include 600 Penney's stores, but the marketing buzz has already begun. On Monday, an Olsenboye truck cruised around New York selling merchandise and giving out cupcakes, balloons and pins. In addition, empty racks in 50 high-profile stores are being covered in Olsenboye shrouds. Beginning Nov. 6, Olsenboye will be available on jcp.com and in those 50 stores, including the Manhattan flagship location, for a limited time. There will also be teaser videos upcoming on olsenboye.com to go along with guerrilla and viral marketing campaigns.
The 23-year-old stars have been in the fashion business ever since they shot to fame as twins sharing a role on the ABC sitcom, which ran from 1987-95. Through their company Dualstar Entertainment Group, Mary-Kate and Ashley's clothing empire includes The Row for men and women, and their contemporary label, Elizabeth and James.
"Mary-Kate and I watch current trends and see our partnership with J.C. Penney as an opportunity to add something unique to the marketplace, especially in the current retail climate," said Ashley. "Olsenboye is an extension of the Dualstar brand and we feel this collaboration complements and strengthens our business portfolio, delivering trend-based fashion at affordable prices."
"Ashley and I felt strongly about creating a unique experience to reach the teen customer, using relevant marketing strategies that would effectively reach this key customer demographic," Mary-Kate added of the strategy for the brand.
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