Christian Siriano and Payless Announce Expanded Collection to Bring Siriano's Unique Design Aesthetic to More Fashion Fans Starting Next Month

NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Committed to leading the fashion democracy by bringing on-trend, affordable footwear and accessories to consumers across the globe, Payless ShoeSource and its popular Guest Designer, Christian Siriano, have expanded their partnership and announced today the launch of the Christian Siriano for Payless expanded collection arriving Sept. 7 in 2,400 Payless stores across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico and Payless.com.

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This seasonal collection features a range of modern looks for everyday styling with an assortment of shoes and handbags offered at more moderate, accessible prices starting at $23 an item. The new label enables the celebrity fashion designer to bring his unique design aesthetic to more shoppers and will be refreshed four times a year with new seasonal collections.

"We are thrilled to bring Christian's unique design point of view to more shoppers this fall," said LuAnn Via, president and CEO of Payless. "Our customers love Christian's creative designs and given the popularity of his current Payless label -- which stresses more dress looks from his New York Fashion Week runway show -- we knew we had to bring forward more of Christian's style at great prices to more Payless stores and a broader customer base. We are excited to see the consumer reaction in Sept."

The Christian Siriano for Payless fall collection includes six shoe styles – dress pumps, ballet flats, casual oxfords, ankles boots, and strappy dress sandals – for everyday styling.  Christian's designs incorporate luxe looking faux suede, leather, and patent materials in classic neutral colors including chocolate brown, soft grey and deep black, as well as a bright fuchsia that adds a pop of color to any outfit. The shoe styles feature special detailing including shiny piping, gold buckles and metal studding. A focal style, the Natalia ankle bootie, is perfect for pairing with a wide range of apparel like pants, skirts or dresses. It has a soft faux suede upper with crisscross buckle straps, round toe and a tonal platform sole and comes in grey and black for unlimited styling options. The Kristiana is a dressy high-heeled sandal that features an on-trend caged upper design with shiny piping, a peep-toe and gold hardware details, and is available in three colors: purple, grey and black. The collection is rounded out by three handbags – a studded cross-body pouch in black and fuchsia colorations, a cross-body hobo with buckled flap and a structured satchel.  

"I am really excited about my expanded collection with Payless. It reflects my high-fashion look, but with a more accessible price point, which allows even more shoppers to enjoy fabulous fashion," said Siriano. "I think shoes and bags are the easiest ways to refresh a wardrobe and getting a chic new handbag for $23 to coordinate with your $30 ballet flats is an amazing value any fashion lover can appreciate."

Also arriving in Payless stores this Sept. is the Christian Siriano for Payless Gold label with styles inspired by Siriano's Fall 2011 New York Fashion Week runway show held this past Feb. at Lincoln Center. Designed for high impact to capture attention on the runway and to coordinate with Christian's ready-to-wear apparel, the Christian Siriano for Payless Gold designs are taken from the runway and refined into unique and wearable styles for today's modern woman. This runway-inspired line – a tight capsule collection of six shoe styles and two coordinating handbags – stresses fast-fashion dress designs with silhouettes ranging from hidden platform pumps and shooties to heeled ankle boots and dressy flats, as well as a clutch and a tote with gold hardware detailing. The line is available in select Payless stores and Payless.com for the spring and fall seasons at prices starting at $40 an item.

About Payless Designer Collections

Payless Designer Collections are among the most widely distributed designer footwear labels in America today and a key strategy for Payless in its mission to democratize fashion, design and the latest ideas in footwear and accessories for all to enjoy.  Payless Guest Designers include Lela Rose, who has two labels: Lela Rose for Payless and a special occasion line, Unforgettable Moments by Lela Rose; Christian Siriano, also with two labels Christian Siriano for Payless Gold collection, his line directly inspired by his shoe and handbag designs from his runway show at New York Fashion Week, as well as Christian Siriano for Payless, an expanded line with the first collection due out in Fall '11; Isabel Toledo with Isabel Toledo for Payless and the latest designer: Silvia Tcherassi with Silvia Tcherassi for Payless. This select group of fashion designers create designer footwear and accessory collections for Payless featuring the latest runway and red carpet styling offered at value prices. Each collection is unique and reflective of the designer's signature style.

About Payless & Collective Brands, Inc.

Payless ShoeSource, Inc., a unit of Collective Brands, Inc., is the largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere and is dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories for all to enjoy. Payless offers customers a range of well-recognized brands such as Dexter®, Airwalk®, Champion®, Above the Rim® and Smart Fit®, as well as designer labels by Christian Siriano, Lela Rose, Isabel Toledo and Silvia Tcherassi. As of the end of the second quarter 2011, the company operated 4,455 stores throughout the Americas and an online store (www.Payless.com) and also currently has more than 100 franchised stores located in Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource; Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group, focused on lifestyle and performance branded footwear and high-quality children's footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with its brands including Stride Rite®, Keds®, Sperry Top-Sider® Robeez®, and Saucony®, among others; and Collective Licensing International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk®, Above The Rim®, Vision Street Wear®, STRIKEFORCE(TM), Clinch Gear(TM), Sims®, Lamar® and LTD®, World Snowboarding Championships(TM) and Hind®. Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand's units can be found at www.collectivebrands.com.

SOURCE Payless ShoeSource