Kellwood Company signed agreement with Phillips-Van Heusen on three licensing arrangements. Phillips-Van Heusen and Kellwood have agreed to extend the Calvin Klein women's better sportswear license for North America until 2012 with a renewal option to 2017, if certain conditions are met. Additionally, Kellwood was granted the ck Calvin Klein women's bridge sportswear license for North America, which will run concurrently with the better women's sportswear license. Previously, AA2 LLC held the ck Calvin Klein bridge license.
Stephen L. Ruzow, president of Calvin Klein women's better sportswear, will also oversee the ck Calvin Klein women's bridge sportswear line, which will launch at retail for Spring 2008.
The Calvin Klein women's better sportswear brand is distributed through fine department and specialty stores such as Bloomingdales, Nordstrom's, Macy's and the Bay. The ck Calvin Klein bridge line is expected to be distributed through Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom stores.
Phillips-Van Heusen and Kellwood have also mutually agreed not to renew the license for IZOD women's sportswear. Kellwood will continue to design, source and distribute IZOD women's sportswear through June 2007.
Robert C. Skinner, Jr., Kellwood chairman, president and chief executive officer stated, “We have great respect and admiration for the Phillips-Van Heusen team and value our partnership through our ongoing license of Calvin Klein women's better sportswear. We are pleased to have the opportunity to develop the ck Calvin Klein women's bridge sportswear line as well. These actions are consistent with Kellwood's key strategy to focus on expanding our portfolio of higher profile, upscale brands.”
Kellwood, a marketer of apparel and consumer soft goods with over $2 billion in sales, specializes in branded as well as private label products, and markets to all channels of distribution with product specific to a particular channel.
