Pendleton Signals New Direction for Contemporary Collection

PORTLAND, OR--(Marketwired - Mar 4, 2014) - Pendleton Woolen Mills, a globally celebrated American lifestyle brand headquartered in Portland, Ore., is taking its contemporary brand, The Portland Collection, in a new direction. Gretchen Jones has been named the lead designer charged with evolving the look and character of Pendleton's new contemporary line, PENDLETON COLLECTION. Jones, the 2010 Project Runway winner and one of Gen Art's 2012 "Fresh Faces in Fashion," will bring a renewed perspective to the brand with her unique fashion interpretation.

Jones, who joined Pendleton last year, has been working on several design initiatives, including new fabric innovations. "It is a luxury to work with both a depth of resources and this extraordinary brand," said Gretchen Jones. "I'm collaborating with our own mills to create new, innovative fabrics. It is amazing to have the unparalleled resources that Pendleton has to offer at my fingertips."

"We launched The Portland Collection in fall 2011 with a talented group of independent Portland designers," said Mary Richter, chief creative officer of Pendleton, "and now we're ready to give the brand a new and distinctively different personality. We were impressed by the contemporary collections Gretchen created as an independent designer, and we look forward to presenting a new perspective for Pendleton's contemporary offering." Pendleton will launch this new women's apparel collection in fall of 2015.

About Pendleton
Setting the standard for classic American style, Pendleton is recognized worldwide as a symbol of American heritage, authenticity and craftsmanship. With six generations of family ownership since 1863, the company celebrated 150 years of weaving fabric in the Pacific Northwest in 2013. Pendleton owns and operates two of America's remaining woolen mills, constantly updating them with state‐of‐the‐art looms and eco‐friendly technology. Inspired by its heritage, the company designs and produces apparel for men and women, blankets, home décor, and gifts. Pendleton is available through select retailers in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia; Pendleton stores; company catalogs; and direct-to-consumer channels including the Pendleton website, http://www.pendleton-usa.com/.