K-Swiss Signs Endorsement Deal With Wellness Expert Jillian Michaels and Partnership With Empowered Media, LLC

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., April 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Iconic footwear and sportswear brand K-Swiss (Nasdaq: KSWS) is proud to announce a global endorsement deal with leading wellness expert Jillian Michaels, effective today. Under a multi-year partnership, the trainer and life coach best known around the world for her contributions to the inspirational television series "The Biggest Loser" will represent K-Swiss and participate in interactive retail and consumer-facing programs throughout the year.  In the future, Michaels will develop collaborative product line with the California Sports Brand.  This is the first formal performance brand endorsement for Michaels.

Jillian Michaels is a New York Times best-selling author and TV personality. On June 1st, NBC will launch "Losing it with Jillian!," a new series dedicated to giving unhealthy families the necessary tools to reboot their lives. Michaels co-founded Empowered Media to help individuals understand how to reach life-changing goals.  The company's motto is, "Inspired by Jillian, empowered by YOU!"

"Jillian will be a great ambassador for our California Sports Brand," said David Nichols, Executive Vice President of K-Swiss. "As a California-native she has built a successful career around helping people celebrate a healthy, active lifestyle. We share the commitment and passion for helping others to reach their personal best, and the fun that goes along with it."

"The partnership grew organically once I discovered how much I enjoyed wearing and working out with the K-Swiss Tubes," said Jillian Michaels. "They are affordable, comfortable and stylish. It only made sense to work with a brand that I was already a fan of."

"Jillian and I decided that we wanted to take a different approach in selecting an athletic brand partner.  We looked for a company with an organic approach and one which understood the look, feel and sensibility of our brand," said Empowered Media Co-Founder and CEO, Giancarlo Chersich. "We know K-Swiss represents all aspects of the right partnership. They remain at the forefront of creating innovative, stylish and affordable products for consumers that embody Jillian's native California spirit and lifestyle."

Michaels has worn the K-Swiss Tubes™ Run 100 on various television appearances this year. The Tubes cushioning technology features full-length cylinders to provide an amazing responsive heel-to-toe transition and smaller cylinders strategically placed on the medial side to provide more stability. The Tubes Run 100 is available at Nordstrom, Dick's Sporting Goods, Hibbetts, Sport Chalet and www.k-swiss.com for $75.

About K-Swiss:

K-Swiss is a publicly traded company founded more than forty years ago in Van Nuys, California. K-Swiss introduced the first all-leather tennis shoe, the K-Swiss "Classic" in 1966.  Since its inception, K-Swiss has rooted itself in California Sport with an aim to be the most inspiring and innovative sports brand in the market.  Today the company offers performance and lifestyle footwear and apparel for several categories under its California Sports umbrella including Tennis Heritage, California Fit (Running, Triathlon and Fitness) and California Youth.  For more information about K-Swiss, visit www.kswiss.com.

About Empowered Media, LLC:

Empowered Media, LLC operates the Jillian Michaels wellness brand. The company operates as life architects whose sole mission is to inspire individuals to empower themselves to seek healthier active lives. The products marketed are part of the total life solution platform created by the Jillian Michaels philosophy. For more information about Jillian Michaels, visit www.jillianmichaels.com

SOURCE K-Swiss