William Rast Fecirc;tes Brand in Europe

The Los Angeles–based William Rast brand is celebrating its European expansion with parties in Paris, London and Berlin. The brainchild of musician Justin Timberlake and business partner Trace Ayala, William Rast has partnered with key retailers to showcase its garments and is hosting runway shows and parties that capture the brand’s “New America” theme.

On June 29, the brand showcased its Fall 2009 offerings on the runway and kicked off pop-up shops for men and women at London’s iconic Selfridges location. Timberlake and Ayala were on hand to mark the occasion. The brand then headed to Berlin for the Bread & Butter trade show, where it presented its Spring/Summer 2010 collection, which includes a selection of styles at lower price points. Rounding out William Rast’s European excursion is a collaboration with Parisian boutique Colette. The specialty retailer dedicated a window display to the brand, which runs June 28 through July 5 and features styles that appeared on the runway during New York Fashion Week in February. The Colette window and Selfridges pop-up shops were engineered in collaboration with acclaimed Los Angeles–based architectural firm Johnston Marklee & Associates. —Erin Barajas