KISS’ Paul Stanley to Launch Lifestyle Brand 

Paul Stanley, the lead singer and guitarist from KISS, is partnering with Epic Rights to build a lifestyle brand through a licensing program.

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KISS frontman Paul Stanley is adding his name to the list of celebrities making lifestyle brands.

The rocker has partnered with branding agency Epic Rights, which will develop his new Paul Stanley: Royals and Rebels brand through a licensing program. The line will include men’s fashion apparel, footwear, accessories, home décor, food, spirits, cookware and more.

“Paul is very dimensional,” said Dell Furano, chief executive officer of Epic Rights, who has worked with KISS for close to 25 years on branding and merchandise. “His real passion is style, design and marketing. He’s also a great chef.”

This licensing deal follows a big year for KISS. Last year the group celebrated its 40th anniversary and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. KISS also appeared in the spring 2014 John Varvatos ad campaign.

Stanley has had other solo endeavors — he’s written a biography, “Face the Music: A Life Exposed,” sold his paintings and performed the lead role in the musical “The Phantom of the Opera” — but this will be his first time creating his own branded merchandise.

According to Stanley, the line will embody “the elegance of royals and the attitude of rebels.” When he’s not wearing elaborate stage costumes and his signature black and white face makeup, he enjoys donning Kiton suits or pairing jeans with a Brioni jacket. Stanley wants his line to offer the same type of breadth he seeks in his wardrobe, but at an affordable price point.

“There is nothing wrong with appealing to the masses. That’s not a sin. That’s the ultimate compliment,” said Stanley, who admires the brand singer Jessica Simpson has built.

Furano expects the collection to be sold in big-box retailers, hopefully for spring 2016.

Who will be buying this collection? According to Stanley, it won’t be targeted exclusively to KISS fans.

“If that were the point, I wouldn’t even bother doing it,” he said. “What am I going to do? Make jackets with bat wings? Am I going to include a makeup kit? KISS is a fragment of who I am and what I chose to create.”

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