Students Ring in the New School Year With the Latest Shoe, Accessory Trends and Brands From Payless Including the New Star Wars™ and Star Wars: The Clone Wars™ Collection

TOPEKA, Kan., July 14 /PRNewswire/ -- With the Back-to-School shopping season just underway, Payless ShoeSource, the nation's leading specialty family footwear retailer, is helping parents and their families put their best foot forward by offering the latest seasonal footwear and accessory trends at affordable prices. This year's Back-to-School program will again include extended sizing on about 50 children's styles, nearly 20 key styles available for under $10 (sale: 7/27 - 8/9), a cross-promotion with OfficeMax and the introduction of Star Wars and Star Wars: The Clone Wars shoes and accessories through an alliance with Lucasfilm, Ltd.

Star Wars and Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Known for a robust assortment of fun, inspiring and well-recognized brands, Payless has looked to the stars for its newest brand this Back-to-School season.  Young Star Wars fans everywhere will love the Payless line of footwear and accessories inspired by the six live-action Star Wars films and the hit animated TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Available later this month at prices ranging from $8 to $27, the Star Wars and Star Wars: The Clone Wars line will include six shoe styles and accessories such as backpacks, sunglasses and a cap -- all featuring logos and characters -- allowing kids to create their personal style inspired by a galaxy far, far away.  

Trends & Sizes for Students of All Ages

As students prepare to hit the classroom, getting the latest on-trend styles has never been easier. Shoppers can turn to Payless to get this year's must-have shoe and accessory trends including plaid flats and glam-embellished canvas sneakers, messenger bags and plaid handbags, western-inspired boots, assorted clogs and a range of fashionable ballet flats -- all at great value prices.

The retailer's extended sizing program, launched last year to strong and positive consumer response, will continue this year and allow students of all ages to find the best shoes that fit just right. The extended sizing program was created in direct response to customers who conveyed feedback that they buy shoes for children whose feet are adult-sized, but the fashion, styling and pricing of adult shoes makes it challenging to find the right styles for these kids.  This year, Payless is offering nearly 50 boys, girls and athletic styles in sizing up to size 6 youth (equivalent to women's size 8 and men's size 6).  Kids feet also grow every three months, according to experts, and Payless always offers its leading foot measuring service -- a valued benefit for parents during the Back-to-School shoe shopping season.

"Payless has long offered our kids' foot measuring service, and we are among a select few retailers to do so," said LuAnn Via, president and CEO of Payless.  "We are thrilled to combine this much-appreciated service with our extended-sizing program, our always strong fashion-at-a-value collections, and the cross-promotion with OfficeMax to help parents get all the right gear their kids need to hit the classroom -- on-trend shoes, backpacks and school supplies -- all at a great price."

Payless & OfficeMax Cross Promotion

Payless and OfficeMax are teaming up once again this year to offer additional savings July 27 through Sept. 6 on the all-important items needed for school -- school supplies and shoes.  OfficeMax shoppers have an opportunity to spend just $.01 or more on any item at the store and receive a register receipt coupon for $5 off a purchase of $25 or more at any Payless store (excluding those in Shopko Stores) in the U.S. and online at Payless.com(R).  More than 2,600 Payless stores will offer shoppers making any purchase a register receipt coupon valued at $10 off a purchase of $30 or more at all OfficeMax nationwide stores (offer not available at OfficeMax.com).  Please see register receipt for terms and conditions.

Well-Recognized Brands

Payless is well known as a "House of Brands" retailer with an expanded  portfolio of well-recognized brands now available including Airwalk®, Dexter®, Champion®, green label Zoe & Zac, and designer lines like Christian Siriano for Payless, Lela Rose for Payless, STPL x Airwalk, and new this fall, Isabel Toledo for Payless.

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 first quarter 2010, the company operated nearly 4,500 stores. In addition, customers can buy shoes over the Internet through Payless.com(R) 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 more than 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands Airwalk(R), Dexter(R), Champion(R), Zoe & Zac(TM), the first-ever affordable green footwear brand, and designer collections Lela Rose for Payless, Unforgettable Moments by Lela Rose, Christian Siriano for Payless, Patricia Field for Payless, Isabel Toledo for Payless and STPL 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(R), Keds(R), Sperry Top-Sider(R), Robeez(R), and Saucony(R), among others; and Collective Licensing International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk(R), Vision Street Wear(R), Sims(R), Lamar(R) and LTD(R). Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand's units can be found at www.collectivebrands.com.

Lucasfilm, STAR WARS™, STAR WARS™: THE CLONE WARS™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd.  All rights reserved.  All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Payless ShoeSource