Juicy Couture founders Gela Nash-Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy recently left the label they started in 1996 with some fortuitous sweatpants. And now Juicy has brought Erin Fetherston in to design the line beginning in May and extending through 2011, with Fetherston’s first pieces for the line debuting for holiday 2010. She won’t be involved with the label’s recently launched upscale line Bird by Juicy Couture. She was probably brought on to get retailers excited about the line again. Nordstrom decided not to carry Juicy Couture apparel for fall, though they plan to still look at forthcoming collections and will carry accessories.
From WWD:
Juicy Couture, which has had phenomenal growth since its 1996 founding, has slowed in the apparel area, as stores have complained in recent seasons about quality and fit. In recent months, retailers have said the apparel needs to be reenergized and move beyond the iconic track suit.
Skaist-Levy and Nash-Taylor reportedly had many disagreements over quality of the line with management at Liz Claiborne, which owns Juicy Couture. It’s ironic the apparel isn’t doing well these days, since expensive sweatpants are so IN right now.
Juicy Couture doesn’t know what they’ll do when Fetherston’s contract ends in 2011. She plans to continue designing her namesake line.
Erin Fetherston Tapped as Juicy Couture Guest Designer [WWD]
