Jennifer Lopez is making another big footwear move in 2020.
This spring, Designer Brands Inc. and the “Jenny from the Block” singer will launch JLO Jennifer Lopez—a footwear and handbag line to be sold exclusively at DSW stores in the U.S. and Canada.
JLO Jennifer Lopez will exist as a standalone brand to be operated jointly between Designer Brands and a team assembled by the “Hustlers” star. The full footwear line will be available on March 16, with handbags to follow, according to Designer Brands.
“More than just a traditional celebrity licensing deal, Designer Brands is partnering with Jennifer Lopez to create a business that will design, source and sell footwear and accessories,” the company said in a statement.
Though it will oversee day-to-day activities, Designer Brands is turning over all creative authority to the Super Bowl halftime performer and her team, with assistance from the Camuto Group, acquired in a joint deal with Authentic Brands Group in 2018.
“Our collaboration with Jennifer Lopez supports Designer Brands’ strategy of growing market share through differentiated products and differentiated experiences,” Designer Brands CEO Roger Rawlins said.
“The partnership will engage new customers across emerging platforms; and builds on our successful 2018 acquisition of Camuto Group, letting us leverage in-house brand development, and fully utilize our internal design and sourcing capabilities,” he added.
The partnership will serve to elevate Designer Brands and DSW from their roles as retailer and product curator to a “fashion leader and style innovator,” Rawlins said, adding the Camuto Group’s design, marketing and production teams gave Designer Brands the ability to assume the end-to-end responsibilities of launching the brand.
Lopez intends to infuse her new line with the same mindset and energy that made her a triple threat. Designer Brands believes the collection will inspire women to live positively and confidently.
Related Stories
“With high-quality products and accessible pricing, DSW is the perfect partner to reach a broader audience,” Lopez said. “It’s been incredible to build a brand with the talented team at Camuto Group, and with this collection, it’s my hope that people can find shoes they love and express multiple sides of themselves, all while remaining true to their most authentic self.”
With 200 million social media followers and international devotees, Lopez’s “emotional connection with her fans and passion for authentic self-expression, fused with Designer Brand’s world-class design capabilities and powerful retail expertise, will be a blockbuster,” Rawlins said.
Earlier in February, Lopez and Michael B. Jordan appeared as the faces of Coach’s CitySole marketing campaign, marking the luxury brand’s attempt to capture more of the sport-inspired footwear market.