Express Joins NBC's 'Fashion Star'

Express-Joins-NBCs-Search-For-The-Next-Fashion-Star-20010101

Express, Inc., the specialty retail apparel chain, has joined NBC's ground-breaking fashion reality competition "Fashion Star" as a buyer for the program's second season. Hosted by international fashion icon Louise Roe, "Fashion Star" premieres on Friday, March 8, 2013, at 8PM ET featuring celebrity mentors Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos.

The program aims to discover the next big name in fashion with contestants competing in a weekly challenge designed to further develop and expand their brands. Express joins the series as a buyer with fellow retailers Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue continuing from the first season.

Buying for Express is Erika De Salvatore, Director of Visual Merchandising for the dual-gender brand. Known for her critical eye and passion for understanding the importance of customer experience, she ensures consistent execution of visual presentation and merchandising.

"We came to Fashion Star with a different lens than the other brands," said De Salvatore. "As a retailer with a singular edit point rather than a department store serving a more varied customer base, we had to be extremely targeted in what we decided to purchase in order to meet the specific needs of the Express customer."

During each episode, product selected by De Salvatore can be purchased immediately at express.com/fs, giving fans of the brand immediate access to the exclusive collection. Following the season finale on Friday, May 10, a select number of stores will carry the line bought by Express, licensed through NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products.

Stores carrying the line after May 11, 2013, are:

Beverly Center, Los Angeles, CA

Easton Town Center, Columbus, OH

Fashion Valley, San Diego, CA

The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV

Garden State, Paramus, NJ

Houston Galleria, Houston, TX

King of Prussia, King of Prussia, PA

Miami International, Miami, FL

Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL

North Park Center, Dallas, TX

Roosevelt Field, Garden City, New York

San Francisco Center, San Francisco, CA

South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, CA

West 34th Street, New York, NY

Woodfield, Schaumburg, IL

"Everyone who came into the competition was a legitimate designer; no one was thrown in for ratings or TV drama," said De Salvatore. "This was a real design competition and I can't wait for our customers to see what we bought for them!"

About Express, Inc.
Express is a specialty apparel and accessories retailer of women's and men's merchandise, targeting the 20 to 30 year old customer. The Company has over 30 years of experience offering a distinct combination of fashion and quality for multiple lifestyle occasions at an attractive value addressing fashion needs across work, casual, jeanswear, and going-out occasions. The Company currently operates over 600 retail stores, located primarily in high-traffic shopping malls, lifestyle centers, and street locations across the United States, in Canada and in Puerto Rico. Express merchandise is also available at franchise stores in the Middle East and Latin America. The Company also markets and sells its products through the Company's e-commerce website, www.express.com.

About NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group
NBCUniversal is a leader in providing entertainment programming to the domestic and international marketplaces. NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group manages all global ancillary television business endeavors for the NBCUniversal Television Group, including third-party home entertainment distribution, consumer products, musical soundtracks, special markets projects and the NBCUniversal Online Store. For the latest product updates and an overview of the properties managed by the group, visit the NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products portal at http://nbcuconsumerproducts.com.