Justin Timberlake‘s William Rast jeans are already a favourite of Hollywood stars, and now the singer will be extending his fashion brand to include eyewear. William Rast, the label Timberlake founded with fashion designer friend Trace Ayala and produced by People’s Liberation, will debut two eyewear brands in 2011.
The William Rast Eyewear line will include optical and sunglass options for men and women, and William Rast Racing Eyewear will be a sportier collection designed, manufactured and distributed by Viva International Group as part of a three-year licensing deal. According to Colin Dyne, CEO of People’s Liberation, inspiration for the two William Rast eyewear lines comes from the ‘DNA’ of the brand:
“William Rast has a DNA that includes a biker sensibility, leather and denim. Justin (Timberlake) wears glasses now, so some of the (William Rast Eyewear) inspiration will come from him.”
Inspiration for the William Rast ‘Racing’ collection of eyewear will come from the brand’s connection to indy-car racing. “We’ve been involved in indy-car racing for some time through sponsorships and in various other ways, so the (Racing) collection will draw inspiration from that,” says Dyne, adding that the Racing collection will focus on sportier and more technical features.
William Rast, which started as a premium denim brand in 2005 and has since expanded into a contemporary apparel collection, has been on a growth track of late. In 2009 the company opened two new stores in California and announced plans to open 40 more stores globally in the next few years.
The eyewear, which represents William Rast’s first accessories license, is expected to be ready to display by August or September 2010, and consumers will be able to purchase the glasses by early 2011.
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