Believe it or not, you no longer have to be a wealthy, blushing bride about to walk down the aisle in order to strut your stuff in Vera Wang. You don’t have to take a plane to Paris, a canoe through Milan, nor a stroll down 5th Ave., in order to find the hottest new fashions with this exclusive name brand.
Yes ladies, the wait is over, and the proximity is close. So close, that all you need to do is simply sprint to your nearest Kohl’s department store, to find SimplyVera, Vera Wang’s new clothing line.
This month, the prominent wedding dress designer broadened her spectrum of fashion, as she released her new collection, which includes clothing, lingerie, shoes, accessories, and even home items, in all 749 Kohl’s stores.
Looked upon as an interesting retailer and designer collaboration, the new line permits women in the middle-income realm to purchase clothing with a more upscale reputation.
“It’s been selling pretty well. When we first put it on the racks, people were really drawn to it. Since then, it’s been selling steadily,” said Agnes K., the sales associate at Kohl’s in Ceasar’s Bay Bazaar in Brooklyn.
From her jaquard bubble skirts, $78, to her ruffled blouses, $46, and satin-weave coats, $102, Simply Vera screams luxury as well as affordability.
Shirred knit tops, $30, can be matched with her brocade waist skirts, $51, as well as with metallic leggings, $12, or denim-like jeans, $50. Pleated tanks, $35, tie-front blouses, $45, and slim-fitted poorboy cardigans, $33, fill the racks along side her shirred-neck jackets, $62, and plain-woven wrap-around shirts, $59.
An array of Vera handbags line the aisles, from $49 demure purses to gaudier purses of $99. Working our way down, dainty lingerie ranges from $9 to $48. Sexy pumps, sassy heels, and comfy clogs or flats are in the $40 to $60 price range.
It appears that Wang has an inclination towards darker color schemes. The majority of the clothing in her label is either black, brown or taupe, with a variety of greys and charcoals. There are a number of purple pieces, and a touch of white and beige items.
“I do feel the color selection of her pieces is a bit drab, but as far as the clothing, the outfits look youthful because of how you accessorize. It all depends on how you want to rock it,” states Anna Carey, the treasurer of the fashion club at St. John’s University.
Though the colors may be solemn, shoppers seem to be attracted by Vera’s dark, mysterious and sophisticated look.
“I think SimplyVera is selling pretty well. We have about 3 to 4 stocks coming in per week, which is above average,” stated Love Carter, a cashier at Kohl’s in Ceasar’s Bay Bazaar in Brooklyn.
As some are lengthy ruffled, plenty are reserved and a bit are embellished, Wang’s main goal was to branch out to the mainstream of ALL women.
According to Carey, one of SJU’s fashion experts, “As far as Vera Wang’s collection, the line’s name is self explanatory…it is simply Vera. The pieces are simple and the color scheme isn’t too youthful, but again it’s all about how you wear it.”
In terms of whether or not Wang’s fashion’s are appropriate for college girls, Carey feels that, “college girls should go pick up a nice ruffled collared shirt and a pencil skirt rather than juicy couture sweatsuits.”