Hollister has its first celebrity deal.
The new apparel collaboration with “Pretty Little Liars” star Lucy Hale will have two installments. Each reflects some element of the Southern California lifestyle, the central vibe that the Hollister brand was built upon.
The first is set for Aug. 8, and is inspired by Hale’s lifestyle — easy-to-layer pieces in colors that take the guesswork out of mixing and matching. The second is set for Aug. 29, and focuses on supersoft separates with relaxed silhouettes inspired by Southern California’s laid-back beach days.
The collection, available for a limited time, will include soft dresses, leggings, skirts and tops. The price points for items in the collection range from $19.95 to $44.95.
Hale, who helped with the design of the collection, said, “I definitely lean more towards a laid-back look, which makes my style a great match for Hollister. I wanted to create carefree outfits that effortlessly transition from a coffee run to going out.”
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Michael Scheiner, senior director of marketing and public relations for Abercrombie & Fitch, owner of the Hollister brand, said Hale’s “easygoing personality goes hand in hand with our Hollister lifestyle.”
According to Scheiner, the collaboration is part of the brand’s ongoing strategy to connect with its consumers, as well as provide apparel and content they find relevant. To that end, the brand will provide updates on the Lucy Hale collection at Twitter@HollisterCo. Hale will also take over Hollister’s Twitter feed to host a live question-and-answer session, the date of which has yet to be determined. Hale, who is also a musician, will launch the marketing campaign with a performance at the Hollister House on Sunday in Santa Monica, Calif. She’ll also make a live appearance at a Hollister store at the Westfield Century City Mall in Los Angeles on Aug. 9.
Hollister has been working on its merchandising to be more relevant to teens. In March, it offered an exclusive male footwear line from SeaVees featuring signature Hollister colors, available only at hollisterco.com. That was a move that is helping it transition its business model from retail to retail and wholesale.
Abercrombie is still in the middle of its search process for candidates to fill the Hollister brand president role.
At the end of the first quarter, Hollister operated 456 stores in the U.S. and 129 stores across Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia.