Liz Claiborne Inc. today announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with Eastman Group to license men's footwear under the Claiborne label.
The Claiborne footwear line will feature a complete selection of dressy and casual shoes that will complement the sophisticated, on-trend men's apparel and accessories for which Claiborne is known. The collection will be launched to the trade in February 2004 at the Las Vegas Shoe Show and will be available in department and specialty stores, as well as shoe specialists, beginning in Fall 2004.
#'Licensing our brands is a key aspect of our growth strategy, enabling us to extend Claiborne's presence in the market,” said Barbara Friedman, president of Licensing at Liz Claiborne Inc. “We are pleased to be teaming with Eastman Group on our Claiborne footwear collection. Their innovative product design and expertise in manufacturing will help us offer superior product and value to the Claiborne customer. The addition of footwear to the Claiborne product mix furthers our goal of making a complete lifestyle statement.''
Max Mizrahi, president of Eastman Group, stated: #'This is a great opportunity for us to partner with a classic American brand with a reputation for fashion and superb quality. We anticipate that our footwear expertise, coupled with Claiborne's reputation, will open many doors with retailers and make an impact immediately.''
Eastman Group has compiled a team of industry experts, including department store/specialty store veteran Ray Blanton, to service the Claiborne business. The Company was founded 18 years ago and has become one of the largest and fastest growing footwear importers in the world. Their corporate office is in New York City with satellite offices in Italy, China and Taiwan. Eastman designs and markets an extensive range of men's and women's footwear under several nationally recognized major brands.
Claiborne is a division of Liz Claiborne Inc. The company designs and markets an extensive range of fashion apparel and accessories for women, men, teens, children and infants. The Company also markets fragrances for women and men. The more than 32 brands in the Liz Claiborne Inc. portfolio are available at over 26,000 points of sale worldwide.