Macy’s has won exclusive DKNY department store rights in the US from the fashion brand’s licensor G-III Apparel Group.
Effective February 2018, Macy’s will become the only department store in the US to stock the DKNY range of women’s apparel, shoes and accessories and men’s outerwear and swimming clothes. The deal also applies to its online store Macys.com.
The move is part of the struggling department store’s focus on creating a unique selling proposition as it tries to win customer back from online stores and niche retailers.
“We want to create partnerships that offer our customers products and experiences that they can find only at Macy’s, and DKNY is a fashion-first brand we know our customers love,” said Jeff Gennette, president and CEO of Macy’s. “By offering exclusive access in key categories, we are confident that DKNY will quickly become one of our top brands. Their remarkable global recognition combined with our expansive footprint make Macy’s and DKNY a perfect partnership.”
Macy’s and G-III say they will work closely on brand extensions and exclusive products that build upon the founding principles of the iconic New York–based brand. The agreement also plans for increased and enhanced DKNY shop-in-shops in Macy’s stores.
“We believe that Macy’s is the ideal partner as we implement our strategy for DKNY to be the premier brand in the world for women’s apparel and accessories,” said Morris Goldfarb, chairman and CEO of G-III. “We have worked well with Macy’s in the past with respect to our portfolio of brands and we are confident that this partnership with Macy’s will help DKNY flourish and capture market share.”
G-III will continue to operate the freestanding global DKNY stores and DKNY.com and maintain DKNY’s agreements with international license partners and distributors outside of the US. Products outside the exclusive categories and products distributed by DKNY’s various licensees under other categories in the DKNY family will continue to be sold to a broad range of department stores, including Macy’s.
