Miley Cyrus, Max Azria team up for Wal-Mart recession chic

On Wednesday, Wal-Mart (WMT) paired a trendy singer with a trendy couture designer as it announced the introduction of Miley Cyrus/Max Azria. Arriving in August, the line will include pants, tops, graphic Ts, shoes, and accessories. All items will be priced under $20.

Cyrus, known for her squeaky-clean Disney image, seems to be pushing to mature her brand. For example, her notorious Vanity Fair photo session with Annie Leibovitz, which provoked outrage last year, could be seen as the first step in her push for a more adult audience. In this context, the Miley Cyrus/Max Azria line aims for a comfortable middle ground: she's a top-selling recording artist at Wal-Mart, where much of her core audience already shops, so it seems a logical retailer for the clothing line.