NEW YORK, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Liz Claiborne Inc. today announced that Isaac Mizrahi has been named Creative Director for the Liz Claiborne brand. In this role, Mr. Mizrahi will oversee the design and marketing functions for women's apparel, accessories and licensing. Mr. Mizrahi's first collection for Liz Claiborne will arrive in stores in spring 2009.
William L. McComb, Chief Executive Officer of Liz Claiborne Inc., said: "We are thrilled to welcome Isaac to our team and believe that his innovative design sense and widespread appeal will breathe new life into the Liz Claiborne brand. It is certainly no secret that the brand has been lacking a clear and cohesive vision and has languished as a result. With this appointment, we are taking a major step towards our goal of creating irresistible product that will provide today's discerning woman with a compelling reason to buy."
Mr. Mizrahi said: "Liz Claiborne is an American fashion icon. Her clothes were not only beautiful, not only smart, they were revolutionary. She invented separates, and invented an entirely new category in the department store. She made fashion friendly and accessible and in doing so she became every woman's best friend. These are all ideas I treasure and I'm honored to have the opportunity to build on this fantastic legacy and excited to reestablish the label as a must-have. And as excited as I am about developing Liz Claiborne, the collaboration also affords fantastic opportunities for growth in my own brand."
Dave McTague, Executive Vice President, Partnered Brands for Liz Claiborne Inc., said: "Isaac is an amazing designer, but also an astute, successful and innovative businessman who understands the challenges we face in today's marketplace. As an international fashion icon himself, who resonates strongly with fashion-conscious consumers, he is the ideal person to help us achieve our objectives. Most importantly, Isaac knows this woman; he loves this woman. His own core values as a designer -- among them fit, color, comfort, style and value -- mesh perfectly with the philosophy under which this brand was founded."
About Isaac Mizrahi
As a leader in the design business for almost twenty years, Isaac Mizrahi (http://www.isaacmizrahiny.com/) has been awarded four CFDA awards, including a special award in 1996 for the groundbreaking documentary "UNZIPPED." In 2000 he starred in the one-man off-Broadway show, Les MIZrahi. Mizrahi's women's collection is available both domestically and internationally. His menswear collection will be expanding its distribution in fall 2008. Since 2003, Mizrahi has designed ready-to-wear, accessory, home, and pet collections for Target. In addition, he oversees various licenses including shoes and home furnishing fabrics. Television audiences have come to love Mizrahi as the host of his own series on both the Oxygen Network and the Style Network. In February, he will launch his new web-based series "WATCHISAAC" at http://www.watchisaac.com/.
About Liz Claiborne Inc.
Liz Claiborne Inc. designs and markets an extensive range of branded women's and men's apparel, accessories and fragrance products. Our diverse portfolio of quality brands -- available domestically and internationally via wholesale and retail channels -- consistently meets the widest range of consumers' fashion needs, from classic to contemporary, active to relaxed and denim to streetwear. For more information, visit http://www.lizclaiborneinc.com/.
