Walmart To Partner Ellen DeGeneres For Women's Fashion Line

Walmart Inc. (WMT) said Wednesday it is partnering with Ellen DeGeneres to introduce a new women's fashion line as the retail giant focuses on broadening its fashion assortment to compete with Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) and Target Corp (TGT).

Ellen DeGeneres is a comedian, TV personality, style-icon and LGBT activist. She starred in the popular sitcom Ellen from 1994 to 1998 and has hosted her syndicated TV talk show, the Ellen DeGeneres Show, since 2003.

The new women's fashion line, EV1, will launch in September and feature nearly 60 items, ranging from denim and tees to accessories and footwear. The core of the EV1 collection will be denim.

All launch items will be priced at 30 US dollars or less and are designed to be mixed and matched. The line will also offer a wide range of sizes.

Walmart said that beginning on September 10, the full assortment will be available online on Walmart.com, with new items launching seasonally. The company will also offer a select assortment in more than 2,300 of its stores.

Ellen DeGeneres said, "The biggest inspiration (for EV1) was actually inclusiveness. We wanted it to appeal and be available to as many people as possible."

Earlier this year, Walmart unveiled an entirely redesigned website featuring more local and personalized elements as well as specialty shopping experiences.

In May, Lord & Taylor and Walmart announced that the two companies will begin to roll out the new Lord & Taylor flagship store on Walmart.com in the coming weeks. It was launched with more than 125 brands, including Tommy Bahama, Vince Camuto, Miss Selfridge, La La Anthony, Lucky Brand, H Halston and Effy.(DPA)