Beyonce to produce clothing line

Last week R&B diva Beyonce Knowles announced that she had signed a licensing contract to produce a line of clothing for young women. The Tarrant Apparel Group will produce the new line. The company already makes clothes under the American Rag, Cie and Gear 7 brands.

Beyonce is naming her brand the House of Dereon, for her grandmother Agnes Dereon. The new line is expected to hit stores in time for the Christmas 2005 season. It will include ready-to-wear, sportswear and denim. Knowles told reporters: "There will be a lot of sexy tops, sweaters and party dresses, things that I would wear either on or off the red carpet."

Beyonce's grandmother, who was Creole, not only influenced the naming of the brand but also the style of the clothes, which will feature a large amount of "beading and detailing", according to Tina Knowles, Beyonce's mother and the woman who designs all the stars clothes. Together they have established Beyond Productions, a joint venture with Kids Headquarters, to develop and license the House of Dereon brand.

The new line will target women between the ages of 18 and 28 and will be priced slightly lowers than brands like Theory and BCBG Max Azria, according to Cory Silverstein of Kids Headquarters. He added that there are plans for licensing deals for outerwear, shoes, accessories, jewellery and fragrances.