Country music fashion behind the seams: Taylor Swift, Toby Keith launch new lines
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by Lisa L. Rollins, Nashville Country Music Examiner
Taylor Swift's sundress line by L.e.i. launches Feb. 1.
A few years back, country superstar Reba McEntire launched her REBA brand, a line that includes clothing, footwear, home collections and other products. But now, two more country stars are looking be fashionistas, too.
Toby Keith and Taylor Swift each recently announced they’re expanding the already-diverse scope of their respective celebrity brands by jumping into the fashion biz with their own self-approved lines.
Specifically, Keith has created a new clothing line called TK Steelman that was developed in partnership with Royal Merchandising Group—a company that already produces merchandise for the country star’s restaurants.
Toby Keith says his line will be "moderately priced."
Keith will officially launch the line with a Feb. 18 event at his own I Love This Bar & Grill in Harrah's Las Vegas. It’s no coincidence that the launch date coincides with the world's largest fashion trade event, the MAGIC Marketplace convention, which is being held in Vegas on Feb. 17-19 in Las Vegas. (Word has it that TK Steelman will have a strong presence at the show.)
Keith's fahion line rides after the 'country-sexy' crowd
The Oklahoma-born Keith says he hopes to keep the items in his new fashion line—from long-sleeve shirts, T-shirts, polos, sweatshirts, jeans, cowboy hats, to baseball caps, bandanas, belts, leather wrist straps—moderately priced.
Keith’s clothing is said described as combining the influences he brings to his own wardrobe—part rocker and part biker—with a "country sexy" look that includes oilfield imagery in the logos. The successful musician/actor specifically asked that his brand, which targets men ages 25-54, feature more sleeveless shirts, signaling a nod to the fact that he’s personally removed the sleeves from so many of his own shirts.
Additionally, the Tobster has personally approved each item, and TK Steelman is looking to distribute the line via retailers such as Kohl's, Target, Wal-Mart and Macy's, with plans to augment the line to include apparel for the ladies following the line’s initial introduction to the market.
Swift's sundresses swiftly sweep in under $20
Not one to be discluded from any country music-related roster, country-pop princess Swift has jumped on the fashion train, too, but unlike fellow country star Keith, Swift’s line will focus on sundresses versus the “part rocker/part biker” look.
Swift starred in L.e.i.'s denim campaign in 2008.
According to a report in Women’s Wear Daily, the under-$20 sundresses will debut exclusively in Wal-Mart stories Feb. 1. The Jones Apparel Group's L.e.i. (life, energy, intelligence) brand will oversee the dresses, which will be available in three styles; namely, a tie-back dress, a printed tie-back dress and a printed tier dress.
The long-legged, model-ready Swift, of course, will be featured in the company's ad campaign to promote the line; after all, it just makes good sense on all fronts. (By the way, the singer-songwriter starred in L.e.i.'s 2008 juniors-size jean campaign before her signature sundresses were conceived.)
Chatting up the new sundress line, the entrepreneurial teen says, "It was very important for me to create cute, affordable dresses. Especially in these hard times, making expensive dresses just doesn't make any sense."
The Hendersonville, Tenn., resident—who even has a line of Swift-inspired dolls in her honor, thanks to toymaker JAKKS—says she will be among the first and most frequent to flit about town in her own L.e.i. Sundresses by Taylor Swift line. In fact, she assures that fans can expect to see her donning the attire often this spring and summer, including during her upcoming 2009 Fearless Tour, which kicks off Feb. 10 in San Antonio.
"These are my favorite things to wear,” she shares. “When we were designing them, we had so many ideas to work from, and it came down to creating dresses that I would wear. If I couldn't see myself wearing them, I wasn't interested in making them."
Sew you wanna be a country star?
Country music artists have come a long way in gaining mainstream fashion status. This writer remembers when the only country-music fashion endorsee she could name was singer-guitar extraordinaire Steve Wariner, who represented an upscale men’s fashion line back in the ‘90s.
Kudos for country musicians who’ve always had a style all their own for breaking into pop culture’s mainstream fashion world. You all look fabulous. … Now, shut up and play yer guitar, ya’ll!
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