Payless ShoeSource Announces ‘Fresh Green Fashion’ for Summer With Zoe & Zac(TM) Collection Stressing Top Trends of the Season: Woven Straps, Wedge Heels, and Tie-Dye-Inspired Materials
Retailer Democratizes Green with Affordable, Eco-Conscious Accessory Options for Summer
TOPEKA, Kan., June 3 /PRNewswire/ — As shoppers prepare for a season of cook-outs, beach trips, concerts and patio parties, Payless ShoeSource is enabling fashion fans to celebrate the outdoors with the Zoe & Zac summer collection of affordable and fashionable green shoe and accessory options. With items under $30 each, the shoes and handbags channel the season’s hottest trends to deliver “Fresh Green Fashion”(TM) at unbeatable prices.
“Each season our Zoe & Zac brand continues to democratize green by delivering affordable green shoes and accessories created with a fashion-first point of view,” said LuAnn Via, CEO of Payless ShoeSource. “We strive to push the envelope and expand shoppers’ eco-horizons by making green footwear and handbags accessible to all. Our eco-consultant Summer Rayne Oakes is an invaluable partner in this mission; she helps us ensure that the products are as green as possible, but also contributes an excellent eye for style. This summer’s Zoe & Zac offerings are a testament to the trend-right possibilities of green fashion.”
The Zoe & Zac summer collection features six women’s footwear styles and two handbag styles. Shoppers can accessorize for all occasions — dressy to casual — with silhouettes that encompass a strappy dress heel, a woven-strap “sandal shootie,” a wedge sandal, a thong sandal, a ballet flat, and a sneaker. Two organic cotton and natural linen handbags serve as versatile carry-all totes for carting the season’s necessities with ease. The items draw from a summer palette of neutrals, with a tomato red tote and a tie-dye-inspired ballet flat offering pops of color.
“I am energized each season to work with Payless on the latest Zoe & Zac seasonal line,” said Summer Rayne Oakes, Payless’ eco-consultant for the Zoe & Zac brand. “We begin by targeting the strongest trends of the season, then work to create those silhouettes, colors and details with innovative green materials and processes. The end result is a stylish and eco-friendly line that shoppers can afford, thus breaking down the barriers to sustainable style. The Zoe & Zac products don’t look like the other green shoes out there — they are all about fashion-first and each season I am truly proud of the collection.”
The Zoe & Zac green brand is available now in about 1,000 Payless stores nationwide and Payless.com®. The line was created and first launched by Payless in April 2009 to democratize green footwear and accessory products by making them affordable and accessible and to bring eco-consciousness to the mainstream. The Zoe & Zac products are green because they are made from eco-friendly components and materials such as organic cottons and linen, environmentally preferred faux leather, suede and patent, as well as natural hemp, recycled rubber outsoles, eco-friendly EVA cushioning, and water-based glues. The product packaging is eco-smart as well, utilizing 100 percent recycled shoe boxes and soy-based inks for the printing.
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TRESemme and ELLE Form Strategic Partnership for the Innovative New Series, ‘Dirty Little Secret’
CAA Marketing Helped Develop the Multi-Platform Graphic Novel and Assemble the Celebrated Creative Team
NEW YORK, June 1 /PRNewswire/ — ELLE, the number-one global fashion magazine, announced today that it has formed a strategic partnership with TRESemme, the number-one styling brand in the U.S.* Through the partnership, ELLE and TRESemme, along with CAA Marketing, a division of the leading entertainment and sports agency, CAA, will launch “Dirty Little Secret,” a print and digital graphic novel series, which follows the lives of savvy, stylish and single women living in NYC.
Premiering on ELLE.com and the TRESemme Facebook fan page on May 25th, the 10-webisode series will be released on a bi-weekly basis and will be supported by an ongoing, monthly in-magazine section beginning with the June issue of ELLE.
“At ELLE, we continuously seek to develop programs that are truly innovative and exciting to the consumer,” says Anne Welch, COO, ELLE Group. “With the surging popularity and increased interest in graphic novels, the timing is right, and this integrated collaboration is truly ground-breaking. TRESemme is such a forward-thinking brand that we knew they would be the perfect partner for such a unique project.”
“When ELLE first came to us with the idea for ‘Dirty Little Secret,’ we immediately saw its potential,” says Brandy Ruff, Director of Integrated Marketing Communication for Alberto Culver. “This graphic novella is an innovative way to engage and entertain women while providing them with beauty and fashion secrets from industry insiders at TRESemme and ELLE.”
CAA Marketing, conceptualized and developed “Dirty Little Secret” for its client ELLE and helped assemble the multi-faceted creative team. The series is directed by Mark Warshaw, producer of “Heroes: Evolutions,” the graphic novel and transmedia experience that incorporated storylines from the hit NBC drama Heroes. Warshaw and fellow Executive Producers, Tony Carenzo and Erin Carenzo are producing the project through their label Vine Intertainment, the production wing of The Alchemists Transmedia Storytelling Co. “Dirty Little Secret” marks the first collaborative writing project for Darin Mark and Rachel Mellon, each known for creating captivating storylines, witty female characters, and compelling dialogue. Mark and Mellon have previously written for feature films and network television for Warner Bros., Disney, Castle Rock, and NBC. Animator and artist Annie Wu from WildStorm, also known for her work on the upcoming comic book series “The Liberators,” has created some of the most gorgeous hair and emotive faces with “Dirty Little Secret.” To add a fashion finishing touch, ELLE’s Fashion Director, Alexis Bryan Morgan, personally styled the cast of characters drawing inspiration straight from the runways.
To make the program a truly interactive experience and take advantage of both brands’ strong social media platforms, “Dirty Little Secret” will also live on the TRESemme and ELLE Facebook fan pages. The platform will provide the opportunity for instant fan feedback, behind-the-scenes footage, interviews from the writers, illustrators and director, as well as the back story on how the series came together.
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New Online Destination Combines Shopping and Socializing for Full-Figured Women
- Sonsi.com gives women access to stylish fashions and community -
BENSALEM, Pa., June 7 /PRNewswire/ — Sonsi.com launches today with a new social commerce concept that merges fashion retail with magazine-style content and social networking, specifically for plus-size women. As the fashion world begins to slowly embrace full-figured women – occasionally even on the cover of magazines – many retailers remain “zeroed in” on smaller sizes. The launch of Sonsi(TM) represents another fashion-forward step for the majority of American women – nearly 60% of who wear a size 12 or above. Sonsi(TM) is dedicated to bringing these real women a variety of fashion choices in a fun, community-based environment that embraces beauty in all shapes and sizes.
According to a recent study by BlogHer and iVillage, 68% of women use online communities to “connect with others” like them. Sonsi(TM) gives women who wear plus-sizes a single destination to both shop and connect with other like-minded women, all from the comfort of their home.
Sonsi(TM) features apparel, accessories, intimates, handbags, shoes and other products from over 80 brands at a variety of price points. The site offers notable brands such as Kiyonna(TM), Lane Bryant®, alight, Fashion Bug®, Catherines®, Cacique® and many more. Sonsi(TM) will continue to add online plus boutiques and brands throughout the year.
SonsiLiving(TM), the social side of Sonsi(TM), is an online social community fully integrated into the retail experience where women can make friends, share stories, review products and feel empowered with information and advice covering topics such as fashion, beauty, health, relationships, food, entertaining and more – from experts and peers alike. SonsiLiving(TM) also provides a variety of social networking experiences including online clubs, groups, live power chat sessions and expert blogs from notable plus-size industry insiders including Megan Garcia, plus-size model, yoga instructor and author of Megayoga, the first guide to yoga for plus-size women, and Susan Moses, fashion stylist to celebrities such as Wynonna Judd, Jill Scott, Emme, Mo’Nique and Queen Latifah.
“Our goal at Sonsi is to create a new experience that allows women to shop for their favorite brands in one convenient location while enjoying the conversation and community that comes from social networking,” said Jill Hutchison, Publisher of Sonsi(TM). “We chose the name Sonsi because it truly personifies the full-figured woman.” The name Sonsi [son-see] is a play on the old Scottish word Sonsie and means strong and healthy, curvaceous, and a woman having pleasing curves.
To celebrate its launch, Sonsi(TM) is sponsoring Full Figured Fashion Week(TM), a four-day fashion event in New York dedicated to the evolution of plus-size fashion. Hutchison says, “Partnering with Full Figured Fashion Week(TM) is a natural fit for Sonsi to introduce itself to the plus-size fashion world. It embodies the mission of Sonsi, which is to celebrate fashion for today’s women.”
