One of the 8 new locations is the first ‘accessories-only’ Anne Klein New York store, which will open at Century City in Los Angeles on August 15th.

The New York City store located at 655 Madison Avenue will be the site of the first accessory/apparel venue and will open on September 8th.

Additional scheduled openings include Green Hills Mall in Nashville (9/12); Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich, Connecticut (9/15); Plaza Frontenac in St. Louis, Missouri (9/19); Somerset Collection in Troy, Michigan (9/19); San Francisco Center in San Francisco (9/28) and Copley Plaza in Boston (10/18).

Each store will be approximately 1,600 square feet in size and laid out in a series of "little rooms" - each dedicated to a different product category.

The Madison Avenue location will be considerably larger at 2,500 square feet and will feature select Anne Klein New York apparel items, in addition to the branded accessories.

The interior decor reflects the modern attitude of the personal style that Anne Klein cherished. The concept is described as "a metaphor for the modern woman," featuring sleek, ash wood walls, smoked glass shelving, brushed metal showcases, travertine marble flooring and plush brown carpeting. A striking, carved gold leaf table will serve as a signature visual theme at the entrance. There is also dramatic, yet comfortable tufted "leather" banquette seating with backs extending to the ceiling.

The openings of new stores is a result of an intensive phase of strategic planning and re-alignment of Anne Klein since Jones Apparel Group acquired it in 2003. Unveiling a bold new retail identity for the brand, the 8 new retail locations is just the beginning. The Jones Apparel Group plans to roll out as many as 15 or more annually over the next few years.

Accessories are expected to be a key element in the continued growth of the Anne Klein New York brand.

Handbags will represent about half of the offering, with footwear, jewelry, belts, scarves, sunglasses and watches rounding out the core selection. Additionally there will be small gift items like fragrant candles and note cards.

Handbags will be under the design direction of Dominique Aurientis. Dominique is a tremendous talent, having designed for such prestigious companies as Ferragamo and Pucci.