Cirque du Soleil Launches Fashion Line

Cirque Du Soleil known for its creative extravaganzas, wants to build a fashion and beauty brand.

From Fashion Monitor Toronto

Cirque Du Soleil, the $500 million Montreal-based entertainment empire known for its creative extravaganzas, wants to build a fashion and beauty brand. Cirque Du Soleil plans to launch women’s ready-to-wear line this summer, which will be followed by men’s wear and children’s wear.

“There’s an enormous amount of ambition to take Cirque outside the theater to a wide variety of applications,” said Rodney Landi, vice president of merchandising at Cirque Du Soleil. “We wonder, what would a restaurant, hotel or spa by Cirque be like? There’s endless applications.” Home furnishings, fitness and children’s toys are also good fits, he notes.

Cirque Du Soleil fragrance project is also in the works. Cosmetics is a natural for Cirque — performers are trained to put on their own makeup, which may take hours.

“You can put that magic on yourself and transform yourself,” Landi said. “Cirque is all about transformation.”

Cirque Du Soleil is even considering opening its own fashion stores.

“Opening our own stores is something we’d very much like to do,” Landi said. “It’s certainly one of my own dreams. We’ve worked hard to push past the expected souvenirs.”

The 64-piece womenswear collection for fall-winter 2006 is to be introduced in August 2006 in 300 specialty boutiques worldwide. According to WWD, the collection appeared to be surprisingly wearable.