Payless Democratizes "Minimalist" Shoes and Expands Champion(R) Activelite(TM) Offering for the Spring and Summer Seasons

TOPEKA, Kan., May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On a mission to democratize the latest fashion, technology and ideas in footwear and accessories for all to enjoy, Payless ShoeSource announced the continued expansion of its Champion//Activelite  collection featuring minimalist shoe technology.  The retailer now has several Activelite styles for men, women and children featuring Payless' industry-leading lightweight shoe technology, Activelite, combined with comfort and performance features and great styling details at affordable prices starting at $15 for thong sandals and $35 for performance runners.

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The Champion//Activelite shoes aim to democratize the latest craze in performance footwear -- minimalist or ultralight technology -- by making the products available at an affordable price for all to enjoy.  The technology is rooted in a "less is more" design with an overall minimalist shoe construction, low-profile soles and enhanced flexibility features that emulate being barefoot.  The active lifestyle shoes are well-suited for a range of  athletic pursuits -- running, walking and general athletic training and workout activities.  

The Champion//Activelite collection includes the ActiveFlex, a style that integrates flexibility and  lightweight technology into the design, as well as the Squeezlite sandal and Blaze runner.

"Our Champion//Activelite shoes are amazingly lightweight -- a shoe is as light as a stack of feathers or three sheets of bubble wrap," said LuAnn Via, CEO of Payless.  "We've combined our Activelite technology with supportive insole cushioning and flexibility features  to keep people light on their feet and to aid ease of motion -- for any workout activity.  These active lifestyle and performance shoes look and feel great and function like they cost three times the price."

Champion//Activelite styles come in men's, women's and kids' sizing with kids' runners as low as $30 a pair and adult runners starting at $35 at stores across the U.S. and at Payless.com, as well as in stores Canada and Puerto Rico.  Payless recently expanded the Activelite line to children's sizing.  The Champion//Activelite shoes with their light-weight performance features and affordable price point are a superior shoe option for kids' active daily lifestyles.  The various designs feature durable genuine leather uppers with breezy mesh, lots of trend-right details and colors including the latest in athletic styling -- colored bottoms -- featuring hot pink, blue and red.  For more information and to view or buy the styles online, go to payless.com and search for "Activelite" using the search feature on the site.

About Payless and Collective Brands

Payless ShoeSource, Inc., a unit of Collective Brands, Inc., is the largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere and is dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories for all to enjoy.  Payless offers customers a range of well-recognized brands such as Dexter®, Airwalk®, Champion®, Above the Rim® and Smart Fit®, as well as designer labels by Christian Siriano, Lela Rose, Isabel Toledo and Silvia Tcherassi.  As of the end of  2010, the company operated nearly 4,500 stores throughout the Americas and an online store (www.Payless.com) and also has more than 60 franchised stores located in Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.  

Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its nearly 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands Airwalk®, Dexter®, Champion®, Zoe & Zac™, the first-ever affordable green footwear brand, and designer collections by fashion designers Christian Siriano, Lela Rose, Isabel Toledo and Silvia Tcherassi; Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group, focused on lifestyle and performance branded footwear and high-quality children's footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with its brands including Stride Rite®, Keds®, Sperry Top-Sider® Robeez®, and Saucony®, among others; and Collective Licensing International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk®, Above The Rim®, Vision Street Wear®, STRIKEFORCE™, Clinch Gear™, Sims®, Lamar® and LTD®, World Snowboarding Championships™ and Hind®. Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand's units can be found at www.collectivebrands.com.

SOURCE Payless ShoeSource

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