MILWAUKEE -- Skateboard icon Tony Hawk has signed an exclusive deal with Kohl's Corp. to sell footwear under his brand through the midlevel retailer.

Hawk, known for his successful lines of video games and clothing as much as his skating, will begin selling his shoes at Kohl's 800-some stores and its Web site this month, the company announced Thursday. The fashion and skate shoes will be targeted to young men and boys.

Kohl's, which also sells the popular Vans brand skating shoes, plans to price the Hawk line at about $40 per pair.

"There are a lot of skate shoes out there that kids just can't afford, and so in doing this, in going online and at Kohl's, it makes it affordable for those kids and their parents," Hawk said.

Hawk provided inspiration for the shoes, but Kohl's produced the actual design for the brown, black, white and patterned footwear, said Kevin Mansell, president of Kohl's, based in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls. Many of the shoes feature the bird of prey also found on Hawk's shirts.

Hawk, 38, said skating is now known as much for its fashion as for the sport itself. Sometimes he can hardly believe how the sport, considered alternative when he took it up as a child, has become a cultural phenomenon, he said.

"It's nothing I would have expected growing up because skating was considered such an outcast activity," Hawk said. "It's exciting to see the appreciation that kids have for skating."

Hawk started skating at 10 and has become one of the nation's most recognizable skateboarders. He was ranked the world's top vert ramp skateboarder from 1984 to 1996.

In the late 1990s, he introduced a video game that's now in its eighth incarnation and available on all platforms -- from Nintendo's new Wii gaming console to mobile phones.

Kohl's started carrying the Tony Hawk Clothing line of tops and bottoms last year. The line for young men and boys has done well, especially during back-to-school shopping in the fall, Mansell said. Kohl's plans to expand its offerings of the clothing line, and shoes are a natural extension, he said.

"It's a recognized name and brand," Mansell said. "But even beyond that, if that's not a lifestyle that you either, as a young person, follow or live, the style of clothing appeals to a broader range of customers."

Hawk said it's always easy to pick out skating fans in a crowd.

"It's its own art form, own fashion," he said of the sport. "I feel like doing the clothing line that's based on skating culture is something that's intuitive."

Kohl's announcement continues its long line of celebrity pairings. In late October, Kohl's announced that it was teaming up with Cristina Saralegui, a top Spanish-language TV talk show host, to create a home decor line.

This fall, the retailer plans to introduce Food Network kitchen products and clothing created by high-end designer Vera Wang.

"This is just another step in our long-term strategy of offering exclusive brands that make us unique and different and are recognized by customers so there's instant acceptance and credibility," Mansell said.

Rival J.C. Penney Co. also is courting celebrity partners. In the last few years, the company has introduced a home collection by Chris Madden, a home decorator and author, and a moderately priced clothing line from designer Nicole Miller.

On the Net:

Kohl's: http://www.kohls.com

Tony Hawk: http://www.tonyhawk.com