Her first collection for Anne Klein is slated to debut in fall 2007 and will be sold worldwide at select high-end department stores and specialty boutiques. As Creative Director, Mrs. Toledo will serve as the voice of Anne Klein across all label touch-points, including global product design, advertising, public relations outreach, trunk shows, personal appearances, and the long anticipated return of the runway fashion show
(Press Release: New York, New York – October 6, 2006) – Anne Klein, a division of Jones Apparel Group, Inc., (NYSE:JNY) has appointed Isabel Toledo as the new Creative Director of the Anne Klein Designer Collection. Mrs. Toledo, the owner/designer for Toledo Studios, brings over 20 years of design experience and is regarded as one of today’s most respected and influential designers in the fashion and visual arts arenas.
Peter Boneparth, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jones Apparel Group, Inc. said, “Isabel is one of the most dynamic talents in the industry and we are delighted to welcome her on board. We are confident that this partnership will allow us to significantly expand the value-creation potential of the Anne Klein brand and enable us to reach an even broader cross-section of sophisticated, successful and fashion-savvy women. Anne Klein has performed exceptionally well since we acquired it three years ago, and today is one of Jones Apparel’s power brands. Under Isabel’s creative vision and leadership, we now have a clear path forward to achieve our goal of securing Anne Klein’s rightful place at the forefront of American fashion worldwide.”
For more than 30 years, Anne Klein has been synonymous with American style, single-handedly defining how American sportswear is worn by most women today. Her innovative strategy, which introduced the concept of “mixed and matched” pieces such as constructed jackets, pants and other wardrobe staples, made her company the industry leader for decades. “Anne Klein’s original vision of American sportswear designed to enhance the woman’s body is even more relevant today, and Isabel’s expertise and design aesthetic is in touch with the essence of this brand,” noted Lynne Cote, Chief Executive Officer, Wholesale Sportswear, Suits and Dresses.
Mrs. Toledo’s first collection for Anne Klein is slated to debut in fall 2007 and will be sold worldwide at select high-end department stores and specialty boutiques. As Creative Director, Mrs. Toledo will serve as the voice of Anne Klein across all label touch-points, including global product design, advertising, public relations outreach, trunk shows, personal appearances, and the long anticipated return of the runway fashion show. “Isabel’s fashion influence and keen eye will be a great asset for the evolution of the brand. Her vision will encompass everything from fashion shows to product design, advertising and marketing initiatives,” explained Stacy Lastrina, Executive Vice President Corporate Marketing, Jones Apparel Group.
Isabel Toledo, born in Cuba in 1961, received the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Fashion Design in 2005. She has been described as a “cult figure” by The New York Times; Women’s Wear Daily has called her one of the “100 Designers That Count Around The World”; and Vogue Magazine has named her “An important raw talent.” Isabel has an appreciation of machinery, practicality and comfort while retaining a love for traditional elegance. Narciso Rodriguez recently declared her a “genius” saying in a recent one-on-one interview with Mrs. Toledo, “There are very few designers today that possess the skill, precision, refinement and workmanship you have.” Toledo’s designs have been featured at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Mode Museum in Antwerp, and in solo exhibitions at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to help evolve the intelligent fashion philosophy that Anne Klein initiated and I look forward to designing a new generation of future classics”, stated Mrs. Toledo.
For additional information contact:
Linda Louie
The Bromley Group
15 West 26 St. 3 Fl New York, NY 10010
tel: 212.696.1100 ext 32
fax: 212.213.5460
