Booming Brand
Calvin Klein has been very good to the Warnaco Group. The brand, which Warnaco licenses from Phillips–Van Heusen Corp., now accounts for two-thirds of the growth at the New York company. Last year, Warnaco sold most of its swim brands, including Ocean Pacific and Anne Cole. Warnaco President and Chief Executive Joe Gromek said at a recent retail conference in Barcelona, Spain, that his company’s growth strategy is now all about Calvin Klein. Last year, the company’s Calvin Klein operations grew 25 percent, he said. Warnaco owns the Calvin Klein Underwear license and has a long-term license for Calvin Klein Jeans, but it handed back the higher-priced Calvin Klein Collection license to PVH last year. Other brands Warnaco owns or licenses include Speedo, Chaps, Warner’s and Olga.
