Erin Fetherston, whose much-fawned-over collaboration with Juicy Couture comes to an end next month, announced today that she'll be showing a lower-priced contemporary line in lieu of her ready-to-wear collection during New York Fashion Week. Called "Erin," the new line will be more casual than her former fare, consisting mostly of day dresses, blouses, and T-shirts embellished with beads and chiffon. It's far from basic, though: She's also created a pair of black pants with a long, sheer, capelike train of silk down the back, since there are already "plenty of perfect-fitting trousers out there."

So why the shift toward lower prices? Fetherston cites the economy, of course, but also her experience at Juicy Couture and her 2007 collection for Target. “I became more aware of a large Erin Fetherston fan base that hasn’t necessarily been able to buy into the designer price point,” she told WWD. She hasn't completely dropped her pricier stuff, either, stating simply that she has “plans for the main line at a later date.” The new line's wholesale prices will range from $73 to $250 (a far cry from her original designs, which often cost over $1,000); It will show on Saturday, February 12.

Erin Fetherston: The New Contemporary Girl [WWD]