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Perry Ellis: Going Back To Its Roots
By Mari Davis
Photos by Visko Hatfield
Mar 25, 2002/ FW/ --- Perry Ellis might have found its perfect "parent" match.
Since 1999, when it was acquired by Miami-based Supreme International, the brand and the
company has been undergoing a revival.
Supreme International re-launched Perry Ellis at the Miami Beach Fashion Show last Feb 2000
during the Fall 2000 Menswear show there.
Too far from New York, some detractors said. But, it seems that Perry Ellis' parent company
did the right thing.
Away from the maddening crowd of New York, the Perry Ellis brand started taking back its market
share and became popular once again.
Four seasons later, Perry Ellis comes home to New York - stronger, brighter and on the right track!
True to the vision of its founder Perry Ellis, the menswear collection shown at the Gallery in
Bryant Park last February 8, the look was relaxed and comfortable.
It could be worn anywhere - from the city to the country, from New York, to L.A. and the Midwest.
The models even acted in "true Perry Ellis fashion," some of them "traipsing" on the runway, which
actually evoked some smiles from the audience who remember the brand when Perry Ellis was still
alive.
Last week, Perry Ellis International reported a slight drop in revenue. The announcemend said that
total revenue for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2002 is down to $279.7 million, from $287.4
million last year.
Considering the tight economic situation, with luxury goods companies reporting like LVMH reporting
99% drop in profits, Perry Ellis International is doing well.
Hopefully, the Fall 2002 menswear collection will remedy that "slight drop" for Perry Ellis.
The leather jackets and blazers which were shown seem to be a crowd favorite with retail buyers
scribbling notes as the models passed.
True, Perry Ellis did not break new grounds in fashion with this collection. It is a beautiful
collection and very is wearable. And most important of all, commercially viable.
During these hard financial times, commercial viability is almost a must for companies to
survive.
With that in mind, the Perry Ellis show is a success for both commercial viability and
aesthetics.
Perry Ellis
Perry Ellis
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