Reed Krakoff is returning to design after an eight month hiatus from his namesake label, but this time he's ditching the high-fashion price points and instead teaming up with Kohl's for a spring 2016 collection which will hit stores in April.
Krakoff is dipping a toe back into the industry with a new Kohl's collaboration on clothing and accessories. According to Women's Wear Daily, the line is titled simply Reed for Kohl's.
The collection will be priced between $15 and $129 and will include everything from women’s wear, footwear, and accessories, with a focus on handbags, totes and pouches — products with which the designer is most heavily associated.. The collection will be available at 1,116 Kohl’s stores and kohls.com.
Krakoff called the collection “the new accessible luxury.” Many of the pieces are Krakoff signatures, including dressed-up track pants and flat, oversize totes.
But unlike the retailer's past collaborations with designers like Peter Som and Narciso Rodriguez, Krakoff's collection will not be a part of Kohl's DesigNation program. In fact, according to chief merchandising and customer officer Michelle Gass, the program may not be moving forward in the future.
“Frankly, the DesigNation isn’t a significant priority for us going forward," she said. "We’re bringing in these great known brands to elevate the assortment in the store. We’re making sure that Reed is our primary focus.”
The collection is pretty casual and not too fancy, which makes it easy to wear. All of the pieces are primarily made up of colorblocking, stripes, perforated fabrics, and dip-dyed items.
As for the former Coach president and executive creative director's personal label, a note on his website promises "a thrilling transformation," with impending changes bringing a "completely new look and feel."
As for the future of Reed Krakoff as a stand-alone brand, Krakoff told WWD: "We’re in the process of having a number of conversations with a variety of groups. They’re all interesting and exciting. It will be a while before we finish. We have a lot of interested parties. There’s a lot of love for the brand."
