When Narciso Met Liz
New York–based manufacturing giant Liz Claiborne Inc. struck a deal with designer Narciso Rodriguez to acquire a 50 percent ownership stake in Rodriguez’s company, Narciso Rodriguez. The designer has been named creative director of a new company Liz Claiborne is forming to promote the brand internationally. Rodriguez has won two awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America for his women’s collection. He also has a menswear collection. The label, formed in 1997, sells internationally at retailers including Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Rodriguez also has a line of fragrances created through a licensing agreement with Beaute Prestige International. The acquisition adds the Narciso Rodriguez label to Liz Claiborne’s extensive stable of brands, including C & C California, Dana Buchman, Ellen Tracy, Enyce, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Kensie, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Lucky Brand Jeans, Mac & Jac, Prana, Sigrid Olsen and others. The deal is a good fit for Liz Claiborne because it extends the company’s reach into the luxury designer sector, said William L. McComb, chief executive officer of Liz Claiborne Inc.
