Fashion week has left the city in a buzz this year. From the runways to guest celebrity appearances, everyone has something to rave about. People seem to be especially excited about a new line that was recently introduced during fashion week in the middle of all the madness. That’s right! A new line called Aqua x Maddie & Tae was released as part of the Bloomingdale’s capsule collection. From a “country music duo,” Maddie & Tae released their very first line, taking on New York by raving storm.
Maddie & Tae arrived in New York with the intentions to see a couple shows including Anna Sui and Georgine, as well as an Aldo shoe party but ended up surprising fans with a guest appearance at Bloomingdales. Maddie & Tae personally showed up at Bloomingdale’s 59th street flagship to introduce their line. Fans got the chance to meet and greet musical icons, Maddie & Tae, as well as enjoy an acoustic concert on the sales floor. Aqua x Maddie & Tae is a line that is targeted to a “millennial girl with a youthful sense adventure.” The line was created simultaneously with their second album which is almost nearing the end. This country duo hopes to release their album in January or February of next year. Like their album, the musical icons wanted to illustrate a story with their clothing line. As imagined, Maddie & Tae are not the same teenagers that created their first hit “A Girl In A Country Song.” They have now grown into beautiful young ladies. They talk about how they plan to live out their twenties finding themselves and evolving as people. With the release of the new line, Maddie and Tae are convinced that they accurately portrayed “a millennial girl with a youthful sense of adventure” and on the right track to finding for who they are meant to be.
Personally I think the line has some potential. Stating the obvious, Maddie & Tae aren’t the first music icons to create a fashion line. Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Beyoncé, Madonna and Jessica Simpson are all music icons that have dipped their toes in the fashion industry. Some were very successful and others not so much. Now Aqua x Maddie & Tae does have some trendy pieces including bomber jackets, chokers, and classic denims that I think will attract millennial girls. However, despite the fact that the clothing is targeted towards millennials, the prices suggest that the line might be more suited for a generation with a steady income. In other words, the clothes cost too much. This also isn’t the first time that music icons overprice their line. It isn’t the deciding factor of whether a line will be successful or not. Kayne West does it and it is working extremely well for him. However, the difference between Kayne West and Maddie & Tae are the fans. Sadly, since Maddie & Tae are only working on their second album, the big question is "do they have a big enough fan base willing to pay for over priced merchandise with their name on it?" Granted, Maddie & Tae have a very loyal fan base and they are doing immensely well with marketing and promoting their line. But, is that enough to outweigh the unenviable truth? Will Aqua x Maddie & Tae be another line gone wrong because music icons bit off more than they can chew?
