Inspired by Olivia Pope’s Signature Style, The Limited Launches The Scandal Collection

With Scandal’s season four premier less than a week a way, Gladiators across the country are readying themselves for another explosive season of our favorite – though currently missing in action – fixer, and her team of political sleuths. But by the time the episode airs on Thursday night, another Scandal first will have already taken place.

Kerry Washington, Olivia Pope’s alter ego, and the show’s Emmy nominated costume designer, Lyn Paolo decided to spend their summer vacation partnering with The Limited’s head designer, Elliot Staples, to create the store’s first ever Hollywood collaboration. The goal of this partnership is, of course, to help real life Gladiators achieve Olivia Pope’s now iconic look. From her fabulous jackets, and beautiful power suits, every day women can now shop – almost literally – out of Olivia’s closet.

“We designed this collection for fans of the show and The Limited,” Staples said. “The woman who will wear this collection is polished and sophisticated –a professional with an accomplished sense of style.” The Scandal collection lands in stores this Tuesday – September 23 – just in time for fall fashion and fall television’s return.

“The whole team took great care in creating a collection that reflects Olivia Pope’s unique style,” Paolo said in a press release. “We believe the collection tells a story of confidence and professional sophistication as well as maintaining a strong feminine point of view.” That intersection is one of the many things audiences love about Olivia. She never loses her femininity to gain professional achievement. Washington’s character is one of several leading ladies who are continuing to change the way audiences view women in power – whether they’re political fixers, lawyers, or CEOs – television’s modern woman is learning to hold both her strength and femininity at the same time.

Paolo has won two Emmys for her work as a costume designer on Homefront in 1992 and 1993, and has been nominated for Outstanding Contemporary Televisions Series by the Costume Designers Guild Awards. With her costume design career spanning 25 years, Paolo has dressed some of the most influential TV show characters in the past two decades, including the cast of ER for 325 episodes, as well as the West Wing, and Southland. Though her and Washington have admittedly worked together since Scandal started to create Olivia’s style, this is their first official collaboration. This collection is also the pioneer in the partnership of a national retailer with a network television show and the series’ costume designer and leading lady.

“We were inspired by Olivia Pope’s signature style when designing this collection – we wanted to create a line the professional woman would incorporate into her wardrobe and that fans of the show would be excited to wear,” explains Staples.

And that’s exactly what they did. Together, this wildly talented team put their minds and energy together to create over two dozen looks that will leave shoppers questioning if they actually saw Washington wearing these pieces on the show. “Our collection evokes the striking and aspirational style that has become synonymous with the Scandal brand and its heroine, Olivia Pope,” says Staples.

The collection has seemingly kickstarted a design bug within Washington. Aside from her work on The Limited’s collection, the new mother also designed a purse for the All-State Foundation’s Purple Purse Program. As the 2014 ambassador, the actress designed a purple clutch as a symbol against financial abuse as part of domestic violence. However, this design will be used for fundraisers, and awarded to survivors – it won’t be found in stores.

Luckily, the Scandal line is available to all shoppers this Tuesday. Though the collection is exclusive to The Limited, it will be available both in stores and online. Leaving room for the question: What will you be wearing to Thursday’s premier?