Can Avril Lavigne help Kohl's sell clothes?

Posted Mar 5th 2008 5:15PM by Zac Bissonnette
Filed under: Marketing and Advertising, Kohl's Corp (KSS)

Punk-pop princess Avril Lavigne has signed a deal with Kohl's Corporation (NYSE: KSS) to introduce a line of junior fashions to be sold exclusively at Kohl's stores.

The brand will be called Abbey Dawn -- after the singer's childhood nickname. Lavigne said the collection will consist of "a lot of hot pinks and blacks and stars and purple and zebra. Basically, everything I wear." Kohl's says that Abbey Dawn is "a rock collection with a feminine edge." Lavigne says she will be designing the products herself and wearing them on her tour.

Kohl's seems like an interesting choice for a partner for this -- a little too clean-cut for the image she has cultivated throughout her career. Hot Topic, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOTT) would have been a more obvious choice -- and judging from the stock price, they could really use the help.

But I think it's a good career move for Lavigne as she looks to move beyond her early success as a pseudo-edgy "punk rocker" for pre-teen girls. So far, that move has been a success with her 2007 album selling well and receiving solid reviews.

Tags: Kohl's, KSS, Lavigne