Payless Makes Summer Style a Breeze With the Hottest Footwear and the Coolest Accessories

TOPEKA, Kan., June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Payless is heating up summertime style with the debut of its Summer Collection featuring fun, affordable footwear and accessory style solutions stressing the latest trends. Starting at under $10, shoppers can snatch up the season's hottest styles including platform wedges, gladiator sandals, espadrille flats, embellished sandals, envelope clutches, satchel totes, statement jewelry, finishing-touch beauty items and a variety of sunglasses and sun hats perfect for the warm weather season.

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"Accessorizing for summer has never been more fun," said LuAnn Via, President and CEO of Payless ShoeSource. "As a leader in democratizing fashion, Payless helps make summertime dressing a breeze this season with the latest styles at great prices so every fashionista has access to the season's must-have trends.  A mixture of popular silhouettes, splashes of color, rich materials, embellished details and fresh fragrances make our Summer Collection a standout for women who want to enhance their individual style with special pieces at a great value."  

Footwear and accessory trends for the summer include:

• Silhouettes – embellished and gladiator-inspired sandals, espadrille flats, strappy heels, peep-toe pumps, sculpted & platform wedges and slip-on sneakers
• Colors – emerald green, bold fuchsia, dusty blue, cognac brown and soft metallics
• Materials  – patterned fabrics, denim, canvas, jersey cotton, and natural elements including raffia, woven jute, and cork and wood-inspired materials
• Details – stud and jeweled embellishments, gold hardware, covered heels, contrast piping, flower and bow accents
• Jewelry – layered necklaces, statement rings and earrings featuring critter shapes (bees & butterflies), rhinestones and wood beading
• Handbags -- tribal print, plaid, faux snakeskin and croco patterns, as well as metallics and black & white prints offer an overall polished look
• Other accessories include: sunglasses and sun hats, as well as beauty items featuring fresh fragrances, the latest lip and nail colors, and glow-enhancing products like the Shimmer Powder Puff and Shimmer Brush items.

The Payless summer offering also includes its popular Designer Collections, exclusive labels featuring original designs by New York fashion icons: Christian Siriano, Lela Rose, and newcomer Silvia Tcherassi.  Payless Designer Collections are among the most broadly distributed designer footwear labels in America today and a key strategy for Payless in its mission to democratize fashion in footwear and accessories for all to enjoy.

The sandals and heels in the Christian Siriano for Payless summer line are featured in a palette of classic neutrals such as cognac, chocolate brown and jet black, as well as a unique turquoise and brown pattern – a fabric inspired by one of Siriano's spring '11 runway gowns and worn by E! News host Guiliana Rancic on the 2011 Oscars' Red Carpet.  Faux-croco, canvas and accents of hammered metal embellishments round out the line. 

The Lela Rose for Payless summer collection represents the designer's ultra-feminine aesthetic with flats, wedges and peep-toe pumps rendered in rich striped fabrics, mossy green and natural tan colorations and accents of cognac piping.  

Bold colors and materials like mesh, satin, elastic & glitter accent the variety of silhouettes found in the first Silvia Tcherassi for Payless collection, which includes a range of styles including platform strappy heels and ballet flats to espadrille thongs.

New Beauty Line Completes the Look

Once shoppers have rounded out their summer style with shoes and accessories, they can effortlessly accentuate their summertime glow with items from Payless' Unforgettable Moments and SXY by Unforgettable Moments beauty collections.  Nail polishes add accents of color with bright, summery hues, while Shimmer Powder Puffs give sun-kissed skin an iridescent glow. Soft body mists and silky lotions from Zoe & Zac Naturals come in two signature scents: Blackberry Honey infused with fruit, honey and subtle woody musk and Bamboo White Tea that combines high citrus notes with the lush woody freshness of bamboo. Finish the look with soothing lip butters that nourish and moisturize in delicious flavors like blackberry, apricot and kiwi.  

The Payless summer collection for women is currently available in stores nationwide with the beauty items available in select stores.  The line boasts dozens of fresh footwear styles, handbags and an expansive range of accessories, including beauty and body items, with new products arriving every few weeks throughout the summer season.   

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 2010, the company operated nearly 4,500 stores throughout the Americas and an online store (www.Payless.com) and also has more than 60 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, focused on democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its nearly 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands Airwalk®, Dexter®, Champion®, Zoe & Zac(TM), the first-ever affordable green footwear brand, and designer collections by fashion designers Christian Siriano, Lela Rose, Isabel Toledo and Silvia Tcherassi; 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