Nicole Richie is enlarging her House of Harlow 1960 fashion line with the addition of its first bag offerings for spring 2011 and an expansion of its eyewear collection.
The designs are produced by Montreal-based Majestic Mills and Modern Vintage, companies owned by Rick and Brian Cytrynbaum. The brothers partnered with Richie to launch the House of Harlow 1960 accessories line and the Winter Kate apparel collection this past spring. (The apparel and accessories collections bear different names due to trademark issues.)
There are 18 styles of bags in the spring lineup, a number that will expand to more than 30 in the fall 2011 offering.
“There are boho styles with fringe, and we’re also doing sophisticated clutches,” said Richie. “We used leathers, suede, patchwork and even feathers on one style.”
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The bags will retail from $295 to $495. Richie began work on the bag collection in February, with a designer from Majestic Mills flying to Los Angeles to work with her on the initial concepts and sketches. Richie later traveled to Montreal several times to complete work on the prototypes and samples.
Richie created one sunglass style for the current fall House of Harlow 1960 lineup. For spring, that will expand to five or six different acetate styles in each of the several spring deliveries, with retail prices ranging from $110 to $195.
“Sunglasses are really important to me. I have over 500 pairs in my own collection,” said Richie. “I think they’re really fun and you can create a different personality with sunglasses. They’re like little masks.”
The collections include fashion statements like a cat-eye frame and others with chains attached to the temples. The Winter Kate and House of Harlow 1960 lines ring up sales in excess of $10 million a year, claimed Brian Cytrynbaum. The brands are in more than 500 doors globally, with key accounts including Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Shopbop.com, Holt Renfrew and Selfridges. “We’re growing methodically and organically and maintaining the integrity of the brands,” said Cytrynbaum. “Celebrity brands can be risky, but I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”
Home furnishings and fragrance are next up on Richie’s wish list, although no deals in those categories are yet in the works. “I’m ultimately hoping to become a lifestyle brand. We’re taking it slow with clothing and shoes, and now we have the bags and eyewear,” said Richie.
Richie has a second novel coming out in October, titled “Priceless,” and a second guest stint on the NBC comedy “Chuck” that will air this fall.