We’ve launched the first season’s line of zoe&zac and next week I’ll be back in the design room working on upcoming season’s lines. If you have gotten a chance to head over to a Payless store and check them out like I did the other day, then check out the website here and let us know what you think (web shots below). It’s definitely a work-in-progress…and we got a lot more to tackle. Some of the boys out there were wondering whether they’ll get some kicks - and the short answer is “Yes.” This will eventually be a family brand - but we’re still developing styles and materials, so the men’s versions will launch a few seasons down the road. Stay tuned. Check out the video below for a bit more behind-the-scenes + tips from the last shoot/work session.

overview of the brand

a little bit more on my role

A couple weeks ago Payless and I opened up the showroom doors to over 100 magazine editors (and a few lucky bloggers) to grab a sneak peak at the sustainable footwear  and accessories line we’ve been developing under the label, Zoe & Zac. Around 2PM we had a bit of a lull in traffic, so I snuck back into the design area with Nancy to work out some accessory ideas. It’s safe to say that the editors liked what they saw, which is always a good lithmus test.

chatting it up with editors at the Payless showroom. Clothing shout-outs: Dress - Beau Soleil; Sweater - Lara Miller; Ring - Dandi Maestre; Necklaces  - Ombre Claire, and the shoes “coming soon” compliments of Payless.

We’ll be starting off with women’s casual footwear, jewelry and bags; release some children’s looks; build up to women’s dress shoes; and then launch a men’s collection. We’ve begun to incorporate organic cotton,  linens, hemps, water-based glues, reduced-metal dyes, PET, recycled rubber (minimum 20%), eco-foam beds (a super cool alternative to conventional PVC foams and similar in chemical composition to Kevlar). The name Zoe & Zac came to be after some quant/qual studies on names Payless customers loved and that one quickly rose to the top. We all loved it too because it’s so young, fun and fresh and sure as hell doesn’t scream “GREEN!”  It also indirectly states that any girl or guy can do the green thing when it comes down to it, (especially when it’s so damn affordable).

A sneak peak at one of our cute ballet flats due out in April 2009.

It’s been awesome working with the Payless team to develop the brand. We’ll be updating the looks a few times every year and we’ve got some on-trend, fresh looks that will totally be on point for the coming season.

Keep an eye out for the Zoe & Zac launch this April 2009 and your eyes here for some of the latest developments–both on the style and sustainability front. We’re already looking ahead to the summer line and other environmental efforts, so stay tuned. Things are moving forward quickly!

Footwear News. Vol 64. No 39. Payless ShoeSource will announce today it is adding a new line of ecofriendly footwear to its stable of brands. To support the launch, the Topeka, Kan.-based chain, a division of Collective Brands Inc., has signed fashion model and sustainability consultant Summer Rayne Oakes to help develop the yet-to-be-named line, which will be sold in about 500 Payless locations starting in April 2009.

Matt Rubel, president and CEO of Collective Brands, said that Payless could bring sustainable fashion to the masses by using its economies of scale to purchase certified organic and recycled materials at an affordable price. “We have more than 4,500 stores — Payless is Main Street. What we do gets into neighborhoods and to people who might not normally have access to [sustainable fashion],” he said.

The first collection of eight to 12 styles of women’s shoes and handbags will retail for about $30. Footwear for men and kids will follow, with distribution growing to 1,000 stores. “This is part of a larger company initiative on many levels, and this line is going to help teach us how to do it,” Rubel said. He expects methods and materials for the green line to cross over into Payless’ other brands as well. “We are examining everything that we do. It’s part of a holistic approach [to increase sustainability],” he said.

“We are also trying to source more locally, because that decreases transportation,” said Oakes, who is best known as the Discovery Network’s “Planet Green” fashion and beauty expert. She will be working on sourcing and supply chain issues, providing design direction and appearing
in advertisements.

“With the economy the way that it is now, many people think [green products] are that much more inaccessible, so this line is coming at the right time,” said Oakes. And she hopes other large companies will take notice of Payless’ sustainable efforts. “Part of this is to inspire and lead by example. You have to set the bar higher in this day and age.”

PAYLESS SHOESOURCE ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER AFFORDABLE GREEN FOOTWEAR LINE

New Brand Shows Retailer’s Passion to Democratize Green; Retailer Also Signs Agreement with Summer Rayne Oakes to Serve as Environmental Consultant to Help Drive Innovation

TOPEKA, Kan., Oct. 13, 2008 – Payless ShoeSource announced today plans to launch the first-ever affordable green footwear line due in stores early next year and that it has signed an agreement with Summer Rayne Oakes, Discovery Network’s Planet Green fashion and beauty expert and author of Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion & Beauty (Chronicle Books, February 2009), to serve as the green footwear brand’s Eco Consultant.

The new brand is a key part of Payless’ mission and strategy to democratize fashion, design and new ideas in footwear and accessories and to position Payless as a “House of Brands” retailer, offering well-recognized, fresh new brands – all at a great price.

The forthcoming line will include on-trend, fashionable footwear and accessory products that are also green through the use of sustainable and eco-friendly materials such as organic cottons and linen, natural hemp and recycled outsoles, as well as the use of eco-smart packaging. The line will be seasonally refreshed offering the latest trends; the new brand will launch initially for women, expanding to include kids’ and men’s styles in the future. The “green” shoes will be available at prices, on average, of under $30 a pair early next year in about 500 stores with select styles appearing in 1,000 stores, as well as generally available on Payless.com®.

“The sustainability movement is pervasive today and is touching so many elements of consumers’ daily lives and they are interested in more and more green product options being available to them,” said Matt Rubel, CEO of Collective Brands, Inc., the parent company of Payless ShoeSource. “But green items are often expensive and inaccessible to so many. With our mission to democratize the latest ideas in footwear and accessories, we are in the best position and proud to bring forward a green footwear line that is affordable and accessible to all.

Our alliance with Summer Rayne Oakes is important to this new brand initiative. Summer Rayne is a trend-setting expert in Eco Fashion, and she will help us launch our new green brand, as well as assist us in driving innovation with fresh, new eco-smart ideas for this brand going forward.”

The new line is unique not only as the first-ever affordable green footwear, but also because it will stress fashion first, while being eco-smart.

“When Payless approached me to partner with them on what would be their first-ever affordable green line of footwear, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse,” said Oakes. “It’s high time a stylish line of shoes can be both environmentally friendly and reasonably priced. Payless is at the forefront of a significant movement bridging fashion, environmental awareness and accessibility — an undertaking I am proud to be a part of.”

The contract between Payless and Oakes is a multi-year arrangement. Oakes will be involved in seasonal line reviews focusing on materials use and aesthetics for the product, packaging, and in-store materials, as well as participate in other marketing activities for the brand. Additional terms of the deal were not
disclosed. Payless said it expects to launch the new brand name closer to when the shoes are available in stores next year.

About Payless & Collective Brands
Payless ShoeSource, Inc., a unit of Collective Brands, Inc., is the largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere and is dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories and inspiring fun, fashion possibilities for the family at a great value. As of the end of second quarter 2008, the company operated more than 4,500 stores. In addition, customers can buy shoes over the Internet through Payless.com® at www.payless.com.

About Summer Rayne Oakes
Summer Rayne Oakes is a model-activist and spokesperson, resident expert, and youngest board of advisors for Planet Green, Discovery Network’s new eco-lifestyle channel. The Cornell University graduate and environmental scholar has received media accolades including Vanity Fair naming her a Global Citizen, Outside naming her one of the Top Environmental Activists, Cosmopolitan naming her Fun, Fearless Female of 2007, and CNN’s Nicole Lapin nominating her as a “Young Person Who Rocks.” Through her work as a consultant Summer Rayne advises companies and organizations, and works on sustainable development and environmental programs in the U.S. and abroad. In February 2009, she’ll release her first book, Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion & Beauty published by Chronicle Books. www.summerrayneoakes.com.

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Kicky Kicks: Colors rock the block in eco-friendly footwear

Eco-friendly shoe trends for Summer 2008: Part 1

Bright, contrasting colors are hot this summer season. Vivid hues like red, black, or navy are boldly paired with cool summer whites and modest creams, giving everything from sneaks to stilettos instant sportiness.

Jumping Jack Flash: Pair some of our selects with a blue jean or crisp summer dress and you’ll seriously be punching up your wardrobe’s flash factor. The best news is yet to come: There are cool shoes at every price, starting at $10.

About the shoes featured: No Sweats, Ethletic, and Veja shoes specialize in streetwise sweatshop-free shoes; Form & Fauna and Taryn Rose’s new collection –Taryn Rose Verde—focus on vegetable-tanned leather and water-based glues; Charmoné, Beyond Skin, and No Vacas combine feminine design with vegan principles and environmentally-conscious construction; Simple Shoes and Terra Plana take a look at environmentally-friendly preferred materials and minimal waste; whereas TOMS boasts the 1 for 1 principle: For every shoe you buy, they happily give one away to a child who doesn’t have shoes.

Kicky Kicks: Metallic hues don’t lose their luster this season

Eco-friendly shoe trends for Summer 2008: Part 2

Last season went bling, bling with a lot of glitz and glimmer in a myriad of metallic hues. This trend will continue to be a strong feature throughout the summer season and into the fall. Polish off any wardrobe with a dazzling shoe, but make sure it’s right for the occasion. Go with a muted metallic, like a pewter or bronze, for business attire, but by all means, don’t be afraid to razzle-dazzle with a glossy gold or silver for the evening. Shoes start at $40 but quickly skyrocket to triple digit numbers for fancier, hand-crafted heels.

About the shoes featured: Charmoné, Beyond Skin, Natalie Portman for Té Casan , Mink Shoes and Kitty Cooper combine feminine design, luxurious fibers, and vegan principles with environmentally-conscious construction; No Vacas and Neuaura also turn up their toes to animal-based products with some shining examples of microfiber alternatives; TOMS dazzles with some sequined slippers that keep on giving—for every pair of shoes you buy, they’ll hand deliver a pair to at-risk children in developing nations.

Kicky Kicks: Sneakers get a little freaky

Eco-friendly shoe trends for Summer 2008: Part 3

Sneaker freakers unite! Kick off those juteliscious Jesus sandals for some hot-to-trot modern options. Skate, hike, bike, or otherwise: Colors abound this summer. (Note from Author: Don’t be afraid to show your true colors and lace up with some brights too).

Attention to Details: Recycled materials and fancy recycled rubber tread will ensure that you’ll leave nothing but a cool imprint in your tracks. Sneakers start at $47 and are less than $100.

About the shoes featured: Adidas ups the hemp-factor with some sweet treads; J-41 – a division of Chrysler—joins the ranks as some of the coolest shoes out there. Their outsoles are partially recycled; they come in vegan alternatives; and use eco-friendly packaging. Moo Shoes sells these Ben Sherman sneakers to veganistas; and Simple, Timberland, and Worn Again boast eco-friendly fabrics and better construction.

Word on the street: Sources say a new, affordable line of eco-friendly shoes is slated for Spring 2009, so stay tuned here and planetgreen.com “Ask Summer Rayne” for more information.