PrettyLittleThing to launch fashion collection for Naomi Campbell

PrettyLittleThing has a major collaboration coming up with the mass-market fast-fashion brand set to launch a collection with supermodel Naomi Campbell and talking of a “new chapter” in its brand story.

The Boohoo Group-owned label announced the news at the weekend with few other details available, although it did say that it’s “coming soon” with reports saying that “soon” means September.

Called PrettyLittleThing Designed by Naomi Campbell, it will “intertwine the essence of PLT with Naomi’s unique style, promising a fashion experience like no other,” we’re told.

It comes on the back of a long-standing friendship between Campbell and former PrettyLittleThing CEO Umar Kamani, with talks about the possibility of a line having gone on for some time. Although Kumani stepped down from the business in the spring, he’s been heavily involved in this particular project, the Daily Mail reported.

Campbell has been at the top of the modelling tree for decades now and is very selective about the work she does these days. Most recently, she’s been working closely with the Boss label as a key face of the brand and Hugo Boss recently hosted her birthday dinner and afterparty in Cannes during the Film Festival.

The 53-year-old, who also recently announced the arrival of her second child, has designed the PLT looks that will be launched in New York during Fashion Week.

It’s the biggest collab so far for the label with a campaign believed to have been shot earlier this year in LA.

It’s something of a coup for Boohoo Group with Campbell’s usual links being to brands much higher up the price scale. Her combination of undeniable glamour plus charity initiatives have kept her as a guaranteed headline grabber so the marketing battle will be won before a penny has been spent on advertising and before any more social media posts have appeared.

While there has been some negative reaction to the news on social media, given the fast-fashion sector’s often-weak eco and ethical credentials, PLT has been making strides in recent periods.

It has launched swim collections with a cancer charity, moved into vintage, unveiled a resale marketplace, launched a campaign to address sexual assault of women, and more.

There’s been a lot of change at PrettyLittleThing in recent periods with Molly-Mae Hague having stepped down as its creative director just over a week ago, although she remains a brand ambassador.

The company also saw its merchandising director Jonathan Haycock leaving in May as well.