Bisou Bisou Taps New York Transit
Bisou Bisou, the Los Angeles-based contemporary clothing manufacturer, has signed a $20 million licensing agreement with San Francisco-based shoe manufacturer New York Transit Inc.
Marc Bohbot, Bisou Bisou’s chief executive officer, said the licensing deal includes the production of dress shoes and boots under the Bisou Bisou label.
The news comes on the heels of the company shuttering six of its 20 retail stores. Bohbot announced last week that he was closing retail stores in Las Vegas; Plano, Texas; and Wellington, Fla., because of a lack of customer flow and “poor locations.” The company closed its store in Southern California’s Glendale Galleria last March.
Bohbot dismissed industry speculation that the company is preparing to shutter its entire retail operations, despite news of steep markdowns at Bisou Bisou retail stores. He did say, however, that plans to clear more merchandise and shutter four more retail stores by the end of January are underway.
The agreement with New York Transit comes after a deal that Bohbot recently signed with Santa Monica, Calif.-based Fusion Marketing LLC for sports/casual footwear. Bisou Bisou is currently working on other licensing deals as well, according to Bohbot.
The executive is also seeking partnership with outside investors for B. Clothing, a company he co-owns with Sun B. LLC chief operating officer Sam Levy. The one-year-old label has been struggling following steep chargebacks and order cancellations and has lost most of its staff, including co-founder Sean Knight, who left the company last month. B. Clothing is currently down to two employees—the designer and production coordinator—Bohbot noted.
Bohbot said he plans to spend the next few years reorganizing Bisou Bisou’s business. His goal is to shift his focus toward his remaining stores, on which he plans to spend $1.2 million for renovations. For now, Bohbot and his wife, Michele, will handle merchandising for the company. —Claudia Figueroa
