Perry Ellis Taps Peerless for Tailored Men’s Wear
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Perry Ellis International is looking to capture mindshare with the Gen Z and millennial crowd.
That’s the gist of its new licensing deal with Peerless Clothing, America’s biggest producer of tailored apparel for men and boys and a regular department store supplier. According to a press statement, Peerless will make suit separates, suits, tuxedoes, sport coats and men’s top coats for both the Perry Ellis brand as well as the younger-leaning Original Penguin, a label in the company’s portfolio.
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In an interview, founder and chairman George Feldenkreis told Sourcing Journal that Miami-based Perry Ellis International is working to get the namesake brand along with Original Penguin into “younger” and “more fashionable” territory. Today’s Perry Ellis collection targets men in the “30 to 60” range, and some even past retirement age, he said.
The Peerless deal comes after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa emerged as the new Perry Ellis global ambassador last month. The brand’s multi-year deal with the NFL star includes a Summer 2024 collection inspired by the football powerhouse’s Hawaiian-Samoan heritage. The global fashion brand is supporting the Tagovailoa’s Tua Foundation, which promotes youth initiatives, health and wellness programs and charitable causes, such as the Maui fires.
With Peerless, the Perry Ellis brand will aim to infuse elegance and edge into its trademark classic American style. Original Penguin’s heritage-inspired designs will speak to a somewhat more casual aesthetic. Both lines will land in stores for the Spring 2024 selling season.
“As we step into this new era of collaboration with Peerless Clothing International, we are invigorated by the opportunity to reintroduce our signature Perry Ellis and Original Penguin styles in the world of tailored clothing,” said Oscar Feldenkreis, president and CEO of Perry Ellis, in a statement. “This partnership underscores our commitment to delivering quality and style to our loyal customers, and we look forward to a bright future together.”
The deal reunites century-old Peerless and Perry after they originally partnered 25 years ago.
Despite today’s tough spending environment, Original Penguin’s parent is in good shape, according to George Feldenkreis.
“We’re 12 percent ahead of last year, which was a good year,” he said. The Feldenkreis family took Perry Ellis private in October 2018 in a deal valued at $437 million.
Earlier this year, Perry Ellis inked a licensing partnership with Walkingshaw Sports to distribute Original Penguin apparel for golf and tennis players for the Australian and New Zealand wholesale and retail markets. And the Perry Ellis label teamed with Spanish material innovator Recover to add “eco-denim” to its assortment using low-impact recycled cotton fibers.
