Madewell has avoided celebrity collaborations up until the fall 2010 season. But the J.Crew offshoot announced today that Alexa Chung, whose MTV show was canceled last month, will be the first celebrity to design a line for them.
“I was being offered so many collaborations for a long time, but I held off. I thought it would be quite a ‘sellout’ thing to do,” Chung told WWD. “But Madewell had a more organic approach. They seemed really interested in my ideas and it’s a brand that I really admire. Hopefully, the authenticity of this collaboration will be obvious.”
Suuuuure, she didn’t want to sell out. But also, perhaps she can’t now, because if an unemployed freelance model signs up to help Madewell put out a clothing line, that might not even qualify as selling out. Can an unemployed somewhat famous person even sell out? Or can they just pass it off as another job while hoping it boosts their fame while they’re off TV? Someone ought to philosophize on that.
Anyway, Chung’s line will include, according to WWD, “polkadot tea dresses, dungaree dresses, high-waisted skinny jeans, oversize wool jackets with velvet and lace accents, and T-shirts with Chung’s photographs and illustrations, about 20 styles in all.” Chung describes the line as “things you wouldn’t mind getting dirty in and things that I actually wear.” Emphasis on things she actually wears. Because about .00000001 percent of the population can pull off high-waisted skinny pants.
