Andrew Marc

Infobox Company
company_slogan =
company_name = Andrew Marc
company_
company_type = Subsidiary of G-III, Apparel NasdaqGS: GIII (Yahoo!Finance: [http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=GIII PP] )
foundation = 1981
location_city = Times Square, New York City
location_country = USA
key_people = Morris Goldfarb, CEO
Jeanette Nostra, President
Chris Gbur, Creative Director

industry = Consumer Goods
products = Textile - Apparel clothing
revenue =730 Million $ (G-III, 2007)
net_income =
num_employees=
parent = G-III
homepage = [http://www.andrewmarc.com www.andrewmarc.com]
footnotes =

Andrew Marc is an American, iconic, luxury fashion and leather goods label. It was founded by Andrew Marc Schwartz in New York City in 1981. Andrew Marc is most well known for its signature fur and leather bomber jacket. The approach to deliver a quality product based on innovation and materials, rather than pioneering style trends has kept the label thriving. [Kimbally A. Medeiros [http://www.answers.com/topic/andrew-marc] The Modern Fashion Encyclopedia "Andrew Marc"]

Management History

Most recently, In February of 2008, the G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. (NASDAQ: GIII) acquired Andrew Marc. The purchase price, including working capital adjustments, was approximately $42 million. [Business Wire [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_Feb_11/ai_n24257298?tag=content;col1] "G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. Announces Acquisition of Andrew Marc," Feb 11, 2008.] Morris Goldfarb, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said,

"Our acquisition last month of Andrew Marc provides us witha sought-after luxury brand, an expanded mid-tier presence through the Levi's and Dockers licenses, and opportunities for incremental leverage and economies of scale. Perhaps more importantly, we believe that the Andrew Marc brand is an exceptional one that will prove capable of expansion into a number of additional product categories." [Reuters [http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS201690+11-Feb-2008+BW20080211] "G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. Announces Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Fiscal 2008 Results, March 31, 2008]

Prior to the G-III aquisition, from June of 2006, the label was owned by GB Merchant Partners. The management at the time had these remarks about Andrew Marc,

"I am pleased to have the unique opportunity to lead the Andrew Marc businesses. Andrew and Suzanne have done a terrific job creating an important business that is relevant, aspirational, trend right with high standards. Andrew Marc possesses strong brand recognition on balance with a forward sense of style. This long-sustained positioning in upscale leather and outerwear products provides a natural foundation for expansion into handbags, footwear and accessories. The company's developed manufacturing base will well support further upscale and luxury products within the outerwear and other key categories consumers have requested from Andrew Marc for years. [Business Wire, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2006_April_5/ai_n26818918] "Andrew Marc Names Charles M. Jayson Chief Executive Office..." April 5, 2006.]

Andrew Marc is well respected by upscale retailers and their customers. We look to increase fashion forward luxury products within the Andrew Marc Collection, while continuing to bring trend right, high quality and wonderful value through the Marc New York business. Our Dockers and Levi's outerwear businesses allow for expanded distribution, adding to the company's significant buying power. Together with our investment partner, GB Merchant Partners, we have the necessary funding to fully develop all aspects of our businesses, while exploring strategic acquisitions that will be synergistic to the group." [Business Wire [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2006_April_5/ai_n26818918] "Andrew Marc Names Charles M. Jayson Chief Executive Officer..." April 5, 2006.]

The brand was "founded" Andrew and Suzanne Schwartz in 1981. [Kimbally A. Medeiros [http://www.answers.com/topic/andrew-marc] The Modern Fashion Encyclopedia "Andrew Marc"]

Design, Image and Marketing

Andrew Marc initiated the direction of the line, but Suzanne Schwartz designed the collection after she joined the team from 1984-2008. In 2006, she became vice-president. Suzanne also lead merchandising and imagery for the brand. [Daily News Record [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb4298/is_200604/ai_n18989745?tag=content;col1] "LIVING THE ANDREW MARC LIFE..." April, 2006. ] Design is done in-house.

While Suzanne designs and merchandises the line, Chris Gbur conceives of and casts image campaign concepts. Gbur is creative director under the management of 2008. The image is both rugged and cosmopolitan simultaneously. Much of the campaign is often shot in New York City and printed in sepia or grey scale.

2008 sees a record spend in print advertising with 20 pages across periodicals such as Vogue, GQ, Wired, Fashion of the Times, Vanity Fair. Some online placement can also be seen at VF Insider, Facebook, and VogueTV. [Vanity Fair Insider [http://www.vfinsider.com/brand.asp?b=Andrew+Marc] ] 2008 also sees a redesigned e-commerce Internet site for Andrew Marc. [ [http://andrewmarc.com Andrew Mark Online] ]

Merchandising

Andrew Marc is a luxury apparel line focusing mostly on men's and women's leather outerwear. Andrew Marc includes technology, materials and artisanship as features, but the line is positioned to be competitively priced against more expensive European designers. Although the styling is iconically American, the innovation in leather treatments developed by Andrew Marc are various and experimental, including waxes, distressing, pigmentation, oxidation and organic dying processes. [Kimbally A. Medeiros [http://www.answers.com/topic/andrew-marc] The Modern Fashion Encyclopedia "Andrew Marc"]

Since its inception, Andrew Marc has expanded into other categories. While remaining focused on outerwear he began to include wool and cloth and all season materials for his outerwear. He also began to experiment with models that could be reversible. Some models are also versatile and become vests or lighter by removing a internal secondary jacket.

In 1986, he founded Precision watch company for watch manufacture and distribution. The look and design is rugged yet finely crafted and inspired by the look of the bomber jackets. The watches are durable, water resistant, sporty but also luxury fashion oriented. ["Marc's New Man," in WWD, 1 September 1998.]

In 1998 Andrew Marc entered into agreements with Levi's to produce leather and cloth outerwear under the Dockers label. The line included leather outerwear for men and women, and also included women's cloth outerwear. ["Andrew Marc Said Near Pact for Levi's Dockers Outwear," in Daily News Record, 23 September 1998.]

He also began collections of women's and men's accessories which now include men's sport and travel bags. The materials of the accessories tend to match the materials used in the current seasons' outerwear collections. [Business Wire [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2006_August_10/ai_n26954649?tag=content;col1] "Andrew Marc Names Robert M. Mahan Chief Financial Officer" August 10, 2006.]

Spring of 2008 sees Andrew Marc entering into a shoe license with the Camuto Group who will design, market, and distribute women's footwear under the Andrew Marc name. It is expected to debut in the Fall of 2009. Of the expected collection, Morris Goldfarb, G-III's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (parent company of Andrew Marc), said, "We are excited to begin the broader development of the Andrew Marc and Marc New York branded businesses, which hold an excellent position in upscale specialty retailers and department stores. We believe that the contemporary aesthetic and high-fashion identity of these brands can quickly and decisively transcend their roots from the outerwear market." [ Business Wire [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_June_11/ai_n26670920?tag=content;col1] "G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. Announces Andrew Marc Shoe License," June 11, 2008] ]

Distribution

Andrew Marc is positioned on the luxury tier aside other labels such as Cole Haan and Burberry. Individual items range from $495-$2000. Andrew Marc can be found in many national department stores such as Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. [Sak's Fifth Avenue [http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductArray.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302594415&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446201624&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474399545537&bmUID=1220782439790] ] The line is also available in specialty stores nation wide. There is also a presence in Canada at Holt Renfrew and Harry Rosen.

The men's and women's outerwear and accessories collections are also distributed through an online presence. [ [http://andrewmarc.com Andrew Marc Online] ]

Financials

The company performed notably well in Asia and Europe, with an increase of 4% in profit, despite the strong currency impact. [www.1888pressrelease.com [http://www.1888pressrelease.com/andrew-suzanne-inc-company-profile_9268.html] ]

For 2007, Andrew Marc's parent company G-III business recorded approximately $730 million of total revenue. [Reuters [http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS201690+11-Feb-2008+BW20080211] "G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. Announces Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Fiscal 2008 Results, March 31, 2008]

References

External links

[https://www.andrewmarc.com/ Official web site]