California Apparel News

Q&A with Liz Claiborne Swim’s David Burnett and Maxine Swim’s Vince Rojas

New York-based Liz Claiborne Swimwear, along with sister labels Elisabeth, Crazy Horse and Villager, recently joined forces with Maxine Swim Group, a Vernon, Calif.-based privately held company that designs and manufactures swimwear and cover-ups under the Maxine of Hollywood, LP Swim, Manhattan Beachwear, VM Sport, Surfside, Hobie Swimwear and Rose Marie Reid labels.

Liz Claiborne’s decision to join up with the 54-year-old swimwear maker came after a 10-year partnership with Sirena Apparel Group, which ended in August after the manufacturer endured financial hardship. California Apparel News manufacturing editor Claudia Figueroa recently talked to Liz Claiborne Swimwear president David Burnett and Maxine Swim Group chairman and chief executive officer Vince Rojas to discuss how brand recognition and business potential brought two apparel industry forces together. How has the acquisition of Liz Claiborne Swimwear by Maxine Swim Group affected the company so far?David Burnett: I think in several respects we’re very excited about what’s going on. For the first time in three years, Liz Claiborne is on solid footing from a financial and product standpoint; Maxine offers a great deal of stability. Now we can do with the product development what we haven’t been able to do, deliver it on time and stand behind a product we believe in. As a whole, people will feel secure with a company that has stronger finances behind it. For a while the company showed signs of relatively good business when it was produced under Sirena.DB: I saw the business grow from the time I was president of Anne Klein swimwear [which was also manufactured by Sirena Apparel Group] in 1990 to when we hit our demise in 1999. Did we see it coming? There’s really no part of any business’s management that wants to admit to the struggles they face, and with the swimwear industry’s business cycle, it’s hard to predict. When the challenges at Sirena Apparel Group became monumental enough to declare a chapter situation, it took us all by surprise.

In terms of focusing on updated designer missy business, doing business with Maxine Swim Group is beneficial to Liz Claiborne Swimwear because it is not competing directly with its designer-brand contemporaries. Business will be slightly different at Maxine in terms of [our focus] in the marketplace. It will be easier for the designer to design, sales rep to sell and for a division head to map out a short- and long-term strategy. Up until this point, how did the company’s Elisabeth, Crazy Horse and Villager labels fare?DB: They’ve done extremely well. Liz Claiborne Swimwear saw a 35 percent increase in business overall during an economically challenging year. Our growth opportunities are even stronger now. I think we’re focused on dissecting our business differently, adding more sales reps in various areas and focusing on all aspects of business in specialty stores and nontraditional avenues. The company has seen over 100 percent of an increase in catalog sales since last year. Our main focus is our new customer—a mature, contemporary look with a missy fit.

After years of being a lead manufacturer of missy, junior and kids’ swimwear, what sparked your company’s interest in producing Liz Claiborne’s brand of designer swimwear?Vince Rojas: We’ve been waiting a long time for the right brand to partner with. When [we heard] news of the company looking for a new licensee, we felt we were the right company for them—the reason being, we have always made a superior missy product, with quality and value at the top of the list, and we knew Liz Claiborne shared the same quality objectives. Is your company currently scouting other labels, and what markets are you targeting?VR: We are very content where we are. We own Manhattan Beachwear [the company acquired it in 1999], which gives us Surfside, Hobie, V.M. Sport and Via Marina, and recently we acquired the trademark Rose Marie Reid, which in the 1950s was the largest designer of swimwear in the world. What will Liz Claiborne and sister labels Elisabeth by Liz Claiborne, Crazy Horse and Villager bring to Maxine Swim Group?VR: The Liz Claiborne designer brand brings a major status brand to our company. It rounds out our search for the kind of major store brand that appeals to a fashion- and quality-savvy customer. How will the labels integrate into your business? VR: The integration is seamless. David Burnett remains as president and Lisa Pikul continues as our design director. The rest of the integrating works with our expertise in making missy and large-size swimwear. We’ve been making swimsuits since 1946. When we started, our name was Maxine of Hollywood; after our acquisitions we are now Maxine Swim Group, but our roots have always been in women’s swimwear. Many people are not aware that we manufacture all of our own products, we contract nothing out, and we have 1,300 sewing operators making swimsuits year-round. Some of our supervisors used to work with the original Rose Marie Reid company. They’re experts. And, our private-label production includes JC Penney and Lands’ End. What is your take on the swim business in general, and how do you think the current national crisis will affect swimwear sales?VR: Swimwear has always retailed well during tough times. Traditionally, there is always a product that performs during tough times, and swimwear is usually one of those products. Swimwear has always allowed a person to have an inexpensive form of recreation. During recessionary periods or wartime, swimwear has done very well.