Heidi Klum just gave a huge boost to a company that should terrify Target and TJ Maxx
The 44-year-old supermodel is releasing a fashion line exclusively at Lidl stores in partnership with its US division, the company said Tuesday.
It appears to be Klum's first full fashion line since her activewear launch with New Balance in 2010, though she has released limited lingerie and swimwear lines since then.
Lidl says the line will be "high-end, yet affordable... making the range accessible for everyone."
"At Lidl, we believe high-quality fashion should be attainable for everyone and we look forward to sharing this collection with our customers later this year," Lidl US chief commercial officer Boudewijn Tiktak said.
Lidl is opening its first US stores this month in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
The chain has an aggressive expansion plan in the US that includes adding another 80 stores along the East Coast by the middle of next year, and eventually as many as 600 stores across the US, according to company documents obtained by Business Insider. Lidl currently has 10,000 stores in 27 European countries.
Lidl, which has described itself as a cross between Trader Joe's and Harris Teeter, is known for its low prices and private-label goods. But unlike those stores, the chain sells clothing alongside its food items - making it a potential threat to Target and off-price chains like TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack, which frequently feature celebrity collaborations.
Klum, who was born in Germany, rose to fame through a successful modeling career that began in the 1990s and later as the host and judge of Germany's Next Topmodel and the reality show Project Runway. She is also an actress, author, and television producer.