Céline Dion joked and occasionally broke into song as she fielded questions from reporters during a press conference in Las Vegas for the launch of her new accessories line.
The Céline Dion Collection totals about 200 pieces ranging from totes and clutches to backpacks and suitcases along with small leather goods and tech accessories. About 70 of those pieces were showing at the Project Womens trade show, which kicked off Tuesday in Las Vegas.
The singer took inspiration from global fashion trends and designed with a variety of people in mind — including her mother, herself and the business woman — to create a functional, practical and chic collection crafted in a mix of leathers and suedes. The interior of each bag is marked with the sound wave of Dion’s voice, the detail of which also ran down the middle of the line’s trade show booth.
WWD reported news of Dion’s accessories launch earlier this month when it was revealed she struck a deal with Montreal-based Bugatti Group to produce the collection.
“They were great listeners,” Dion said in an interview with WWD of Bugatti. “There’s nothing worse than expecting something and you are disappointed, so to be honest with you when I met them for the first time I was far from being disappointed. And they already knew where I was going [with the design]. It’s nice when you meet people and, I don’t want to say it was love at first sight, but it’s a partnership.”
Dion said making the line accessible was a priority in what she hopes will be seen as an affordable line for not only the fashionista but her fans. Digital and the proliferation of social media have only made it easier to access information and disseminate it and Dion wants to be part of that conversation.
“You have to step forward [with digital] because before you would have three radio stations. [If] you have one hit, you have no choice but to listen to it because from one station to another, it’s the same band,” she said. “Fortunately, for me, I was not born at that time but today there’s so many artists, so much going on, so much social media, it’s like mercury. It’s so fast that you have to step forward and it’s either you follow or you get out of it.”
Céline Dion Collection is hoped by Dion to be one step toward the full buildout of a lifestyle brand that she said could include jewelry, shoes and clothing for women and children.
As for why she’s focusing on doing this now, the timing was right, she said.
“Why not?” she said. “There was so much going on in my whole career all the time and it feels to me that at this time of my life I can step forward and if I’m given the opportunity, it’s now or never and I decided it was a great opportunity.”