Vera Wang’s new line Simply Vera puts Vera’s designs – previously reserved for the red-carpet-walking glitterati – within reach of Starbucks-toting, would-be fashonistas everywhere. In a partnership reminiscent of Mizrahi and Target, Vera is collaborating with Kohl’s to market her new Simply Vera line.
The power of many high-end designer fashions seems to come from their exclusivity. But this is not true of Vera’s designs. Her success as a wedding gown designer stems from the intrinsic sincerity of her gowns and not just the roster of A-list celebrities who’ve worn them. A business venture with Kohl’s may give the appearance that Vera Wang is “selling out”, but this new venture is a natural next step in spreading her style philosophy.
Everyone knows that comfort and fashion don’t mix (think high heels and Spandex), but Vera’s collection challenges this old way of thinking because for her personal style is all about comfort. The Simply Vera line is able to combine comfort and style by incorporating practical fashion shortcuts, with her detailed design elements. Layering and mixing textures are two techniques used extensively in this collection. For example, a cozy silk tunic, wool trench coat, or skinny jeans might look nice on their own but not especially stylish. Vera’s collection makes it easy for you to envision how these disparate elements could go together and take your fashion “… to another place”.
When I finally was able to see the clothes in person, I was blown away. The hallmark of every Vera design is a small element of surprise, and this collection did not fail to deliver. Starting with the presentation, in place of the industrial metal clothes racks was a shrine to Vera Wang’s new design. A mocked-up runway, fully outfitted mannequins and signature hangers all made me feel like I wasn’t just shopping at Kohl’s, but taking part in a fashion revolution. The clothes were well made, reasonably priced and extremely popular as many of the items were already sold out. Hopefully the success of Vera’s new line will encourage more designers to take steps to make their styles more easily obtainable for suburbanites like me, while avoiding the pitfalls of low quality and irrelevance as gracefully as Vera Wang has done with Simply Vera.
