Kelly Van Halen Launches Cashmere Travel Blanket with Fred Segal

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed)
Nov 15th 2010 at 3:01PM

Given that we live in a time when we are all busy reinventing ourselves, perhaps it's not such a stretch that interior designer Kelly Van Halen is launching a line of cashmere travel blankets. Van Halen, who went from being hard rock drummer Alex Van Halen's second ex-wife to being a real estate developer, house flipper, interior designer, and now blanket designer, will be selling her soft-as-can-be cashmere travel blankets exclusively at Fred Segal.

The blankets are the first product in the new line designed by KellyBaron -- the company named after Van Halen and her partner Baron Rogers -- that will be carried by the up-end Fred Segal stores.. The 4"x6" blankets come in matching 8"x10" silk-lined cases that look like pillows. The cashmere used is of superior quality and is 287 grams, or two-ply cashmere. The label is crafted in cashmere as well. Retail price is $425.

The blankets come in black, charcoal gray, heather gray, chocolate brown, red, peony, light pink, blue, ivory and orange. The blankets can double as a wrap.

Van Halen says making cashmere blankets really is more of a segue and not a departure from her home remodeling business. She said she would often finish a building and development job and "stick around to help the homeowner accessorize -- vases, throws, things like that." In one case, she was looking for some nice baby blankets and couldn't find anything she liked. Then she hit on the cashmere baby blanket, which was so admired that a boutique asked her to produce a few more for sale. She has a line of children's accessories sold in West Coast boutiques.

"The cashmere baby blanket was the start," she said. "Everything I do is based on luxury, on making yourself feel good. This is just a natural progression."

Kelly Van Halen was married to Alex from 1984 to 1996. We first met the actress-model when she listed her Encino home for sale. It eventually sold.

Tags: alex van halen, cashmere, fred segal, holiday gifts, holiday shopping, kelly van halen, kellybaron, travel blanket, van halen