Payless ShoeSource Unveils Spring Designer Collections at New York Fashion Week Showcasing Affordable Runway Style

NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the official start of New York Fashion Week when the runways are abuzz with designer talent showing off the hottest looks for the upcoming Spring '12 season – including the unveiling of the Payless Spring '12 Designer Labels: Christian Siriano for Payless Gold and Lela Rose for Payless.

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"For Payless, New York Fashion Week is all about runway-to-reality and delivering high fashion at an incredible price for a range of consumers," said LuAnn Via, CEO and president of Payless ShoeSource.  "Lela and Christian create rich-looking, special pieces inspired by their creativity from the runway, and we are thrilled to be able to make these designers' unique fashions available and accessible for shoppers."

Christian Siriano has created a dramatic collection for Spring '12 channeling exotic underwater specimens found while traveling to Bali, Honduras, and Belize.  The Christian Siriano for Payless Gold Spring '12 collection, Christian's exclusive line for Payless inspired by his runway shoe and handbag designs, incorporates the stunning and intricate details of these tropical life forms with a strong use of jellyfish shapes and coral and tortoise shell materials and embellishments. The Spring '12 line features eight styles accented by pearlized shell, marbleized tortoise, curved heels, metallic linen, faux-reptile, strappy elastic lacing evoking a jellyfish wrapped around the leg, and off-set pod-platform soles suggestive of stepping onto a rock or piece of coral. Iconic of Christian's shoe designs, the Sculptural Wedge Boot is a dramatic, large sculptural platform silhouette that features a thick platform sole that appears as a wedge, but actually has a split separated heel.  Aligned with Christian's inspiration, the Swirl Bootie features a unique curled shell embellishment up the vamp of the shoe. Three coordinating handbags include an everyday satchel, shoulder bag and a unique framed clutch, which is a perfect contrast to the soft feminine tone of Christian's ready-to-wear apparel.

The Lela Rose Spring '12 collection is inspired by the neon sign graveyards of Vegas – once so garish and colorful, now with burned-out bulbs and weathered hues – and the amusement park vibe of Coney Island with its electric and playful spirit. The Lela Rose for Payless Spring '12 runway collection oozes with Rose's inspiration and features both vibrant and bleached colors, graphic shapes and resin studding on wood-stacked wedge soles – a nod to burned-out neon bulbs.  Iconic of Lela  Rose designs and her strong use of signature fabrics, shoe styles for the runway feature Lela's Spring '12 materials including the "carousel" cotton print, "bulb-dot" silk and "checked jacquard" used in the ready-to-wear apparel collection.

In keeping with high-low fashion, Payless is also providing shoes from its current collection to New York-based designer TollaCole for her presentation debut at New York Fashion Week.  In a presentation at local SoHo art gallery -- Waterhouse and Dodd -- TollaCole's evening gowns will be paired with Payless footwear including the uber-stylish Komet platform pumps -- at just $35 a pair -- from Payless' new Brash collection.

Payless Designer Collections are among the most widely distributed designer footwear labels in America and offer designer style at affordable prices.  The Payless Spring '12 designer lines feature original footwear and handbag designs to be available in stores and Payless.com in February at prices starting at under $40 an item.  Until then, shoppers can prepare their wardrobes for cooler days with the Payless Fall Designer Collections, including Christian Siriano for Payless Gold and Christian Siriano for Payless, Christian's second Payless label that just launched for Fall '11 that is focused on more everyday styling and moderate pricing starting at $23; Lela Rose for Payless; Isabel Toledo for Payless and Silvia Tcherassi for Payless – all hitting Payless stores nationwide and Payless.com this week.

About Payless Designer Collections

Payless Designer Collections are 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 and more moderately priced designer line with the first collection due out for 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, Inc.