Designer Matthew Williamson and Others To Offer Capsule Collections at Macy’s

Macy’s continues building its image as a destination for designer merchandise with a capsule collection series available in the store’s Impulse department. The series launched on February 14 with Kinder Aggugini , a “ghost” designer for the likes of Versace, Calvin Klein, and Vivienne Westwood, among others.

Matthew Williamson’s collection will launch on April 13.

“This program adds a new layer for us with the opportunity to engage aspirational and highly covetable design talent for ‘buy now’ six to eight week capsule collections,” says Martine Reardon, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Macys. With only Aggugini and Williamson announced thus far, it’s hard to know just how covetable these designers will actually be.

“Designer collaborations” were one of the key retail themes of 2010, helping drive footfall for countless retailers suffering from the U.S. economic meltdown. By the end of last year, it was hard to keep track of just who was designing for whom. H&M, Target, Levis, Urban Outfitters, and virtually every other trend-driven retailer got on the collaboration bandwagon.

“We think this program is arguably the best example of this,” says Reardon. ”With the success of the Kinder Aggugini for Impulse collection, we know we have hit a sweet spot with our Impulse customer.” Reardon did not, however, quantify that success in terms of actual sales.

Macy’s has made designer names a big part of the store’s overall retail strategy, with a roster of celebrities like Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Sean Combs, Martha Stewart, and other bold-face names. It’s not entirely clear if many will know names such as Kinder Aggugini or even Matthew Williamson.

Williamson’s work is bold and contemporary, with a leaning towards bohemian florals and flirty rompers. His contemporary styling is easy to wear and easy to understand and will more than likely be a strong seller regardless of the name recognition for the middle-America shopper. Previously Williamson was creative director with Emilio Pucci, a post he held for three years. “The collection aims to capture the essence of the mainline brand,” says Williamson in a press statement. “With a focus on effortless glamour, dynamic prints, loosely structured silhouettes, and pops of strong color.”

Each capsule collection series is currently available for a limited time in approximately 225 stores and at macys.com.

SAVE THE DATE | Be the first to shop the Matthew Williamson collection at a special launch event on April 13, 2011 at 12 noon at Macy’s San Francisco, on level 3.

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