Eva Mendes To Launch Fashion Brand

EVA MENDES will launch her own fashion label. The actress is partnering with US retailer New York & Company on a clothing collection under her name.

Mendes will also act as an ambassador for the brand and will front their next advertising campaign. It's believed that the new line, Eva by Eva Mendes, will feature a mixture of daywear, evening attire and accessories - with an emphasis on dresses. 

"I love anything that winks to yesteryear," Mendes told WWD. "You have to find what works for you. In this day and age where everybody has a stylist, I appreciate the kind of woman who steps out of the box. I love feeling like an individual. I want to share all these little tips with women."

The actress will be heavily involved in the design process, approving each piece before it makes the final cut. The debut collection is still in the early creative stages.

"I have a ton of ideas, but it's a bit early to discuss them," she said. "It's taking up all my time, but in the best way possible. Everything I see is a possible design. My mind is consumed by it."

Eva by Eva Mendes will be stocked in pop-up boutiques within New York & Company stores, with new drops added four times a year. According to WWD, the affordable collection will retail at approximately 10 to 15 per cent higher than average prices for the brand.

"When we asked our customers to name the celebrity they aspired to be, [Eva's] name came up again and again. Based on that, we went out and pursued her. It was a very long courtship," said Greg Scott, CEO of New York & Company. "She has amazing red carpet style and also has a very unique style off the red carpet. She has a real sense of self, which will help us in terms of the design aesthetic. When we look at her, she really is confident."