Bebe Looks to Outside Designers to Boost Sales

Bebe Stores Inc. is debuting a new capsule collection called Tara Subkoff for Bebe on Feb. 2. It will be the first of the mall-based retailer’s series of collaborations with up-and-coming, buzz-worthy designers, said Mary Hamilton, a representative for Brisbane, Calif.–based Bebe.

Subkoff is a co-founder and designer with Imitation of Christ, a label that became known for transforming vintage clothes into new fashion. Subkoff’s Bebe capsule collection was described as “’80s feminist meets ’40s Hollywood glam.” Retail price points for the 12-piece collection range from $59 for tops to $150 for dresses and pants. The capsule collection’s color palettes will be red, black and white. Some of the dresses will feature heart-shaped prints.

Bebe will introduce more capsule collections in March. Bebe founder Manny Mashouf hoped the collections will pique the interest of an increasingly fickle consumer. “[With the capsule collections] we continue to ensure an intriguing and exciting shopping experience for our clients,” he said in a statement. “At the same time, we are providing a broader audience to up-and-coming design innovators.”

Andrew Asch