Sony Signs on as Title Sponsor for William Rast Fall/Winter 2010 Fashion Show During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- William Rast, the "New America" denim lifestyle brand founded by Trace Ayala and Justin Timberlake, today announced new details for their Fall/Winter 2010 Show during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week.  The brand's third show in New York City will take place on Wednesday, February 17th at Cedar Lake in Chelsea at 7 PM.  Sony, the world's premier consumer electronics and entertainment company, also announced today it has signed on as the event's title sponsor, providing fashion industry attendees a rich, high-tech experience complete with live-streaming to William Rast stores nationwide, to the williamrast.com website as well as live-blogging opportunities for fashion media direct from the runway.  VEVO, the new premium music video and entertainment service, will also live-stream the event on VEVO.com.

During the show, the William Rast collection, known for its high quality denim, leather jackets and collection pieces, will be featured through Sony consumer electronic products -- showcasing the best of design and innovation from both brands.  As the official title sponsor, Sony will heighten the visual experience of the show using the company's latest BRAVIA HDTVs to dress the venue, and highlight key pieces and design details of the new clothing line.  Industry VIPs, journalists and bloggers will be able to use Sony VAIO PCs and cameras the night of the show to provide real-time updates and reviews online.  

Colin Dyne, William Rast CEO, says, "We are extremely proud of our new collection, and believe our collaboration with Sony will truly enhance the experience for our guests at the show and make it one of the most memorable during Fashion Week.  The partnership will not only showcase the William Rast brand in an innovative and creative way for attendees, but the live streaming feature will also allow us to connect with our consumers and retail partners nationwide."

Alberto Escobedo, director of brand messaging at Sony adds, "Taking a step into the fashion world was a natural fit.  What better way to highlight the creative talents of both brands than showcasing the best of fashion and technology at one show."

In addition to Sony consumer electronic products being featured at the William Rast fashion show, William Rast stores and retail outlets nationwide will also receive a live stream direct from the runway during special in-store VIP events for customers and partners.

For information regarding on-line live streaming and in-store events, please visit: www.williamrast.com/acloserlookfromsony.

ABOUT WILLIAM RAST

William Rast, the 'New America' denim culture brand, was conceptualized and founded by business partners Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala in 2005, and is operated through subsidiaries of People's Liberation, Inc. (OCT Bulletin Board: PPLB). Originally comprised of only denim, the brand has expanded into a complete lifestyle collection, including leathers, outerwear, wovens and knits; known for delivering quality, detail, design, and comfort. Grounded in the iconography of American denim heritage and biker culture, yet re-packaged and presented in a contemporary context, William Rast has found its place on the floors of top-tier department stores and boutiques across the globe, and has become a staple for denim fans worldwide.

In the United States, the company operates William Rast retail stores at Century City Mall in Los Angeles, Valley Fair Mall in San Jose and Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Palm Springs; as well as distributes its merchandise to specialty boutiques and better department stores, including Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales. Outside the U.S., its products are sold to better department stores and boutiques in Canada, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Greece, Cyprus and the Benelux Region of Europe, which includes Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The Company also sells merchandise on its website www.williamrast.com.

ABOUT VEVO

VEVO is the leading innovative online premium music and entertainment service for consumers, advertisers and content owners that blends the very best in musical content with cutting-edge video technology and a thriving user community powered by YouTube. The content is made available across the VEVO Network, which includes VEVO.com (the service's marquee destination site), on YouTube through a VEVO-branded channel, and through a VEVO-branded embedded player. The service also serves as a syndication platform for additional internet destination sites, expanding the reach of the VEVO Network across the worldwide web. 

VEVO was created in partnership by Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Entertainment (SME) and the Abu Dhabi Media Company. It is operated independently by a dedicated management team with offices in Los Angeles and New York. The VEVO Network features the most extensive catalog of premium music content found anywhere on the web thanks to deals with such leading music companies as Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music, ABKCO, Big Machine Records, CBS Interactive Music Group, Concord Music Group, Hollywood Records, Lyric Street Records, Razor & Tie Entertainment, Walt Disney Records, Wind-up Records, Caroline Distribution, Fontana Distribution, INgrooves, IODA, RED and The Orchard, among many others.  Explore VEVO at www.vevo.com. 

SOURCE Sony Electronics