Shoppers Bring in Spring With the Newest Accessory Trends and Essentials From Payless ShoeSource(R)

TOPEKA, Kan., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunnier skies and rising temperatures are cause for celebration, especially for fashion fans eagerly anticipating the season's latest trends.  Payless ShoeSource is making it possible for consumers to revamp their spring wardrobes without putting a wintery freeze on their budgets. The retailer today unveiled a spring line of fashionable footwear and accessories, allowing shoppers to sport the most current styles at price points that make it possible for everyone to partake in the fun.

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Payless offers up-to-the minute trends for shoppers seeking to grab the hottest looks – peep-toe pumps, linen wedges, gladiator-inspired heels, and huarache-style strappy flats, among others -- all at prices averaging under $20 an item.

"This spring our collection includes all the latest trends and our designer labels offer hot-off-the-runway looks with such unique design inspirations as old Venice Beach, luxurious Mediterranean travel, and the modern edginess of a French all-girl rock band," said LuAnn Via, president and CEO of Payless ShoeSource. "We continue to lead the movement to democratize fashion and design in footwear and accessories for all to enjoy."

Payless' spring offering includes its popular Designer Collections, exclusive labels featuring original designs by New York fashion designers including Lela Rose for Payless™, Christian Siriano for Payless™ and alice + olivia for Payless™ by Stacey Bendet, all unveiled on the runways at New York Fashion Week last Sept.

The spring '10 Lela Rose for Payless collection – the designer's 11th line for the retailer – is designed to coordinate with her Ready To Wear (RTW) apparel, which was inspired by old Venice Beach surf and scuba wear and the color palette of artist Alex Katz. The shoe collection includes four shoe styles, two handbag styles, and a clutch, all featuring her signature use of fabric and mixed materials coupled with Katz-splashes of color including bright navy, sea grass and fuchsia. The unique silhouettes include sculpted wedge heels, Mary Jane uppers, criss-cross straps, and peep-toe details.  

Fashion designer Christian Siriano, well-known as the winner of Project Runway's Season Four, introduces his third collection for Payless this spring. His RTW spring collection is inspired by the notion of luxurious Mediterranean travel and features rich hues of oceanic blue and volcanic orange that evoke a coastal sunset. The spring Christian Siriano for Payless line includes designs inspired by the runway looks, including a satin pump, a black patent front-zip heel, a peep-toe flat, a black patent ankle boot with chop-out detail, an oxford-style sneaker, as well as an accompanying tote and clutch. Many of the shoes and handbags feature a unique printed fabric used heavily in Siriano's apparel collection, which was created by using an aerial photograph of the intricate Italian coast line that has been saturated with volcanic and oceanic colors.

"Each season I start my shoe designs with my RTW collection in mind and the idea of creating amazing dramatic looks for a show," said Siriano. "I love working with the Payless team and each collection is designed with drama for the runway and then together we create fabulous versions so women can be chic, comfortable and fashionable in these shoes. I am all about drama on the runway and wearable designs for today's women."

In response to consumer demand, Payless is also making a small capsule collection of Siriano's "direct-from-the-runway" styles available at very select stores and on Payless.com. The limited-edition grouping will be available beginning early March and include three styles featuring a unique platform sole and "bull-horn" heel: an ankle cuff pump, a Mary Jane pump, and a point-toe pump.  The use of mottled prints and animal hide textures combined with raw metal sequins and details transform each style into an impactful work of wearable art.

Stacey Bendet's alice + olivia for Payless spring '10 RTW collection is inspired by the Plastiscines, a French all-girl rock band. The band's mix of indie rock and Parisian chic is evident in the shoes, which evoke both a whimsical and sleek sensibility. This is Bendet's sixth line for Payless and includes such silhouettes as a platform pump, a tall slouchy boot, a gladiator-style flat sandal, a black patent ballet flat and a sequined ballet flat. Details such as the use of a "sandalized" upper design combined with a tall boot and side-cut-out designs portray a strong interplay of structure and sexiness.

The Payless overall spring line incorporates the season's hottest colors, silhouettes, and details. Softer blues, pinks, nudes and blush tones are prevalent along with pops of yellow and deeper fuchsias, greens, and dark blues. Shoppers can scoop up t-strap platform heels, along with wedges featuring fresh, sculptural heel shapes. Flat sandals will feature straps galore, mirroring both vintage huarache styles and gladiator- and t-strap inspirations. Chop-out details will be present in both heels and flats, along with delicate stud and stone ornamentation. From a preppy boat shoes to an oxford jazz flat, the spring line will provide options for a wide variety of shoe personalities.

The Payless spring collection for women is currently available in stores nationwide. The line boasts dozens of fresh new footwear styles and coordinating handbags with more fashions arriving every few weeks into the summer season.

The latest looks are available for men, boys and girls as well, offering up affordable on-trend family options for the coming spring holiday.  

About Payless Designer Collections

Payless is on a mission to democratize fashion and design in footwear and accessories. The Payless Designer Collections – seasonal lines of original footwear and handbags created by New York fashion designers and hot off the runway – are a key piece of that strategy.

Payless designer labels are an expanding group that includes Lela Rose for Payless and special occasion line, Unforgettable Moments by Lela Rose, as well as alice + olivia for Payless by Stacey Bendet and Christian Siriano for Payless. This select group of fashion designers create designer footwear and accessory collections for Payless featuring the latest runway looks. Each collection is unique and reflective of the designer's signature style. Payless' designer collections are among the most broadly distributed designer footwear lines available in the United States today. For more information about Payless at New York Fashion Week and the company's Guest Designers, please see paylessontherunway.com.

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 and inspiring fun, fashion possibilities for the family at a great value. As of the end of third quarter 2009, the company operated nearly 4,500 stores. In addition, customers can buy shoes over the Internet through Payless.com® at www.payless.com.

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 Lela Rose for Payless, Unforgettable Moments by Lela Rose, alice + olivia for Payless, Christian Siriano for Payless and STLP x Airwalk, among others; 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®, Vision Street Wear®, Sims®, Lamar® and LTD®. Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand's units can be found at www.collectivebrands.com.

SOURCE Payless ShoeSource