Jessica Simpson Is a Cutoff 'Connoisseur' as She Launches New Collection in Her Daisy Dukes (Exclusive)

The Jessica Simpson Collection mogul tells PEOPLE exclusively all the details behind her latest campaign and designs

Summer is calling and Jessica Simpson is dialing up the heat with her new seasonal collection.

The actress, singer and style icon just launched her latest range of summery tops, dress, denim pieces and shoe silhouettes for her fashion brand Jessica Simpson Collection — and she's in full designer mode.

"I find design inspiration everywhere," Simpson, 42, tells PEOPLE exclusively of how she approaches the creative process.

Sometimes it isn't planned, and she says that a spark of genius will arrive to her at "the most random times," like when she's listening to a song or flipping through her favorite art books. "Other times," Simpson says, "it will literally be in my dreams and I wake up scrambling to write it down."

The brand's new campaign, focusing on the just-debuted line, encapsulates that wanderlust appeal.

"There is a cinematic romance to the visual of the telephone booth in the middle of nowhere. I love the mood it evokes and the styling crosses over from many different generations. It's like a 1970s and 2000s moment all at once!" describes the Irresistible singer of the desert-set photo shoot.

Behind any big on-camera project is the work that goes on in the background, and Simpson's always focused on what needs to be done. "My team and I are very close to the design process, so by the time the season arrives we already know what we want to shoot and have our vision for how we will shoot it."

The fun for Simpson also lies in mixing and matching the collection with her own vintage collectibles, which gives her space to mesh her personal style with the brand and reinvent some of her treasured items.

Related:Jessica Simpson Has a Throwback Style Moment in Her 8th Grade Cheerleading Varsity Jacket

Related:Jessica Simpson Shares Adorable Photos of Daughter Birdie, 3, Showing Off Her 'Seasonal Style'

For this campaign, Simpson even got out a pair of distressed Daisy Dukes denim shorts, styled with the puff-sleeve Aubrey Top and iridescent Camisha platforms. And the look isn't a far cry from what her closet looks like because she's "always going somewhere" in her denim shorts and platforms.

There's a "ridiculous number" of cheeky shorts in her outfit rotation (which, she jokes, would make her a self-titled cutoff "connoisseur"). She still has the collection of hot pants she rocked in the 2005 movie The Dukes of Hazzard — "I actually wore many pairs of the same shorts!"

Though, she laughs at her onscreen keepsakes in comparison to legendary musician Diana Ross, who is mother-in-law to her sister Ashlee Simpson Ross. "Her archive is filled with sequins that make you salivate and mine is filled with Juicy suits and Daisy Dukes!" jokes the actress.

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Related:Jessica Simpson Dusts Off Her Daisy Dukes for a Day of Thrifting — See Her Look!

Of course, Simpson's trying out different fashions through her company. She's easing back into the wedge look with her "new favorite" gold Citali Wedges; she's showing off her shoes with the split-front flares and she's putting a neutral spin on retro prints with the leafy Clover Field pattern.

It's a reflection of her multifaceted style, which differs by occasion. If she's going out on a date with her husband, Eric Johnson, "nothing is ever too over-the-top," but when she's on mom duty and in charge of the school drop-off, she loves an effortless getup, like a romper or dress.

Being on the parent grind also means finding her "favorite pieces" stashed away in her 10-year-old daughter Maxwell's closet — except her shoes! Simpson says Maxwell has already outgrown her. "Fingers crossed Birdie gets to devour the collection I have saved instead!" says Simpson of her 4-year-old youngest.

With so much going on, Simpson feels the most beautiful when she's simply present with herself and creating, she says.

"The older I get, I lean into the free spirited version of myself: connecting my personality with my eccentricites! I never let people's judgments get the best of me. My confidence is showing up as I am."

She also feels extra assured with a unique token tucked away in her outfits. "An immediate confidence boost is when I put a penny in my pocket knowing that I took time to wish myself luck," she shares with a wink.

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