Zac Posen is clearly a showman–but he’s also not one to mince words. “This is not Zac-lite; it’s an entirely new identity,” he said Wednesday night at Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, where he launched his new Z Spoke collection. Saks is the label’s exclusive retailer and has made it available at 17 doors nationwide and at Saks.com with six deliveries per year. “It’s meant to be price competitive and the quality is fantastic!”
The 60-piece range, which is strong on separates such as knits, pleated khaki shorts, cotton shirting and blazers, is, dare I say, pretty utilitarian. I can see many of these pieces transitioning from office to cocktail party. Did I mention the line starts at $78? A knit dress, meanwhile, retails for $675 (Posen’s signature line ranges from $900 to $12,000). At the event, I witnessed many Saks employees, not to mention celebrity friends Reshma Shetty and Rose Byrne, wearing various Z Spoke pieces, and they looked pretty cute and figure-flattering. I was initially wary of the quality, but upon closer inspection concluded that these are not Target pieces. The quality is respectful and comparable to Diane von Furstenberg, Tory Burch or Elie Tahari. While the basics, including a white blouse and a combo shirt-skirt one-piece, are more luxe than you would think, the cocktail dresses are truly noteworthy. They feel great to the touch and one divine apple print in particular–available as a flirty dress, blouse or skirt–should be a best seller. The corset belts were also reported to be popular items, boasting higher-than-expected sales.
To promote and generate buzz surrounding the launch, Posen is embarking on a whistle-stop tour to three Saks stores: Beverly Hills this Saturday followed by New Orleans on Tuesday and Atlanta on Wednesday. Mark your calendars now.
