They say money talks -- at least it talks to fashion designers.
After stating definitely that he would not be doing any sort of mass-market collaborations, Manolo Blahnik has joined with J. Crew for a line of their Bebe heels.
Fashionista got the scoop at today's J. Crew presentation, reporting that the retailer will sell a line of heels in a "J.Crew-exclusive prints" and color on JCrew.com.
The news comes as a surprise, given that just last month Blahnik told the Wall Street Journal:
"I recently turned down a lot of money to create a mass-market type product. I don't want to make that sort of money if I am polluting my brand."
But Jenna Lyons, who's expressed interest in a luxury shoe collaboration in the past, has apparently turned Manolo's anti-collab frown upside down. We could cynically surmise that it was money that changed Manolo's mind, but we're guessing he's got enough of that.
What's more likely is that this collaboration meets Blahnik's standards of not "polluting the brand." Word is that the shoes won't be that much cheaper than your average Manolos -- J. Crew's Bebe heels retail for about $550 to begin with and the collab is more of a "Manolo heels sold at J. Crew" situation than "J. Crew shoes designed by Manolo."
In other words, don't crack open your wallet just yet.
Head to Fashionista.com to read more and see a few pairs of Manolo-J. Crew footwear gorgeousness below.
