Jessica Rich Collection, a women’s footwear and clothing brand that counts the Kardashians and Jennifer Lopez among its A-list clientele, is getting into the men’s footwear business.
On April 1, the label — designed by former reality television star and fashion aficionado Jessica Rich — will release its first men’s shoe: an exaggerated high-top leather sneaker with gold midsoles and outsoles. The made-in-Italy footwear, available in both black and white, is accented with gold eyelets and will retail for $249 on jessicarich.com.
The line — another low-top style is coming down the pike — is inspired by the brand’s own royalty-focused aesthetic (its logo is a crown with the initials JR underneath) as well as a recent social media frenzy around whom should be dubbed the king of R&B. Rich checked off both boxes: She named her men’s collection “I Am King” and tapped ‘90s R&B singer and songwriter Jon B as the face.
“Every guy deserves to feel like a king, and I want him to feel like a king in my shoes,” Rich said of her inspiration. “Also, I thought about: What would guys feel comfortable talking about on a red carpet? Would they want to say, ‘I’m wearing Jessica Rich,’ or would you say, ‘I am king’? ‘I am king’ sounds more cocky.”
Despite its celebrity fans — Demi Lovato and Nicole Scherzinger have also been spotted wearing the brand — Rich said her shoes aren’t just for Hollywood’s movers and shakers.
“The guy [who will wear my line] is stylish, and if he’s not super-trendy, he’s going to take a chance on this shoe because it’s still basic but it also has a touch of gold,” she said. “This is the perfect shoe for any guy who’s a businessman between 18 and 40 years old and likes to be sexy but not too over-the-top. It’s the artist, the athlete or the husband at home who wants to go out with his boys on the weekend.”
Rich launched women’s footwear in 2017 with the debut of Transparent by Jessica Rich, a wildly successful line of clear-PVC-inspired heels. For women ogling over the men’s sneaker release, Rich promised a his-and-hers drop this May.
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