One Look from the New Keds Apparel Line

The company, which has been around for 95 years, introduced a ready to wear collection called Resort 2012 exclusively at Opening Ceremony.  It includes about 85 sportswear styles for both men and women.  Women’s Wear Daily said the clothing line is “basic, understated and faintly preppy,” which falls in line with the all-American image of the shoe brand that become famous for canvas sneakers. 

On Black Friday, the collection debuted on Opening Ceremony’s website and in its New York and Los Angeles locations.  Next spring, Keds apparel will become available in specialty stores and high-end department stores. 

There are numerous marketing efforts being implemented to create a name for the collection.  For example, it will be sold in a pop-up shop in the Vogue lounge at the Sagamore Hotel.  Keds will also invite about 40 bloggers to its showroom to create their own looks and feature the styles on their blogs.  

The collection features T-shirts, sweaters, pants, skirts, dresses, and jackets that sell for between $48 and $400.  The clothes have comfortable loose fits and feature a variety of small prints and muted colors. See a slideshow of the collection here.

Collective Brands quotes Kristin Kohler, Keds brand president about the concepts behind the clothing line:

She said, “We drew inspiration for this initial collection from American style icons who have worn Keds over the past 100 years.  We feel these muses uniquely represent the key attributes of the Keds brand and we’re excited to bring these signature Keds looks to life to complement our footwear and allow us to become a true lifestyle brand from head to toe.”

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