Liya Kebede Looks to Grow Lemlem

COOL CRAFT: Fresh off the Louis Vuitton runway, Liya Kebede hosted a breakfast on Thursday to present her latest collection for Lemlem, the artisanal clothing line she founded in 2007. Specialized in beach- and swimwear for women and children, the label is now looking to extend its range with the idea to become a lifestyle brand, the model-turned-designer said over a baguette and strawberry jam. “Spring and resort are naturally our strongest seasons — there is a lot of beachwear. But we want to grow the categories that push fall and produce pieces, which you would want to wear in the city as well,” said Kebede, sporting a look from Lemlem’s fall collection: A pair of athletic single-pleat pants dyed in various shades of gray, which she had styled with a scarf, done in merino wool and mohair, a first for the brand. Items retail for $130 for a scarf to $350 for a dress. While most of the clothing is handmade and hand-woven by a group of 100 artisans in Ethiopia, whose craft Kebede is eager to preserve, Lemlem is also venturing into cut-and-sew pieces. “They are still made in Africa — that’s very important to us — just not by hand,” Kebede

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Spanx CEO Named to Kate Spade Board

Jan Singer, chief executive officer of Spanx, has been nominated to the board of Kate Spade. The company said Thursday that Bernard W. Aronson and Kay Koplovitz will not be standing for reelection at the company’s 2015 annual shareholders’ meeting, where Singer will stand for election. Prior to being named ceo of Spanx last July, Singer was with Nike as corporate vice president of global apparel and corporate vice president of global footwear. Earlier she was vice president and general manager, global product, merchandising and marketing for Reebok International Ltd.’s women’s business. She has also held key marketing and global communications roles at Chanel, Calvin Klein and Prada. “Jan’s branding and marketing experience in a range of categories makes her an outstanding fit for our board as we focus on our four category pillars, women’s, men’s, children’s and home,” said Craig Leavitt, ceo of Spade. “We look forward to her contributions and insight as we continue to expand into a powerful, global, multichannel lifestyle brand.”

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