Taipei - Jolin Tsai has bagged a NT$10 million ($448,000) deal to design an apparel line for upscale American department store Saks Fifth Avenue, says Apple Daily.

The Taiwanese pop star is working on her first autumn-winter 2009 collection, which will be unveiled in the United States in February and be on sale from July. The fashion line will also be launched in China and Hong Kong, says the report.

Saks has done its market research and is banking on Tsai to help it crack the Asian market, says Apple Daily.

The store sent its staff to suss out her taste in fashion, from studying the wardrobe in her Taipei home to researching her shopping habits in Tokyo, says the report.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Oct 6, 2008.