MIAMI, Jan. 04, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perry Ellis International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PERY ) announced today that United Legwear & Apparel Co., LLC, has become the master licensee of PRO PLAYER, the heritage athletic brand with a 30+ year history; Perry Ellis International (PEI) remains the licensor. Redesigned creative assets, including an updated modern logo and key marketing partnerships with Major League Baseball.
In addition to selling branded apparel and accessories -- their jackets were a staple of 1980’s/90’s fan gear -- PRO PLAYER Stadium was home to the Miami Dolphins and Marlins for 9 years.
Key marketing initiatives include prominent ballpark signage, stadium program ads, and hospitality activations in some of Major League Baseball’s largest parks, such as Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, the Atlanta Braves’ SunTrust Park, and the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park; these partnerships kick off in Spring, 2016. In addition, pro athletes in the “core four” sports – baseball, basketball, football and soccer – will be named as brand ambassadors, along with fitness experts, lifestyle personalities, and celebrities.
Perry Ellis International Chairman and CEO George Feldenkreis commented, “We are delighted to partner with United Legwear to relaunch our iconic PRO PLAYER brand and are excited to marry the equity and consumer recognition of the brand with the energy and passion of Isaac and his team.”
"PRO PLAYER is a name I grew up with and loved, partly because of the brand’s aspirational message – if you wear it, you can be as good as the pros,” said Isaac E. Ash, Founder, CEO and President of United Legwear & Apparel Co. “My interest and investment in PRO PLAYER are driven by strong consumer recognition of the brand, combined with the adaptability of the PRO PLAYER wordmark to so many product categories. There’s tremendous growth potential across soft lines, sporting goods and many other fitness areas.”
Designed for team athletes as well as everyday athletes and fitness enthusiasts who are committed to sports and trainings, PRO PLAYER will offer benefits and performance design elements such as compression, wicking, and ventilation, under the banner of a legitimate sports brand with a storied history. Sales strategy focuses on opening price points, supporting the brand’s philosophy that people can achieve aspirational goals while paying an attainable price; a key marketing messaging is ”To Play Like a Pro, You’ve Got to Train Like a Pro.”
PRO PLAYER collections for men, women and kids will be targeted to all sport specialty stores, sporting goods chains, and department stores, followed by a full range of apparel, footwear and accessories in Spring 2017.
About Perry Ellis International
Perry Ellis International, Inc. is a leading designer, distributor and licensor of a broad line of high quality men's and women's apparel, accessories and fragrances. The Company's collection of dress and casual shirts, golf sportswear, sweaters, dress pants, casual pants and shorts, jeans wear, active wear, dresses and men's and women's swimwear is available through all major levels of retail distribution. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, owns a portfolio of nationally and internationally recognized brands, including: Perry Ellis®, Original Penguin® by Munsingwear®, Laundry by Shelli Segal®, Rafaella®, Cubavera®, Ben Hogan®, Savane®, Grand Slam®, John Henry®, Manhattan®, Axist®, Jantzen® and Farah®. The Company enhances its roster of brands by licensing trademarks from third parties, including: Nike® and Jag® for swimwear, and Callaway®, PGA TOUR®, and Jack Nicklaus® for golf apparel. Additional information on the Company is available at http://www.pery.com .
Pamela Fields Vice President of International Development and Licensing 212-536-5602
About United Legwear & Apparel Co.
United Legwear & Apparel Co. is a dynamic, New York City based global entity that designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes legwear, bodywear, apparel, and accessories to some of the world’s leading retailers. Founded in 1998 by Isaac E. Ash, United Legwear & Apparel Co. (ULAC) is a joint venture partner with PUMA North America, and also maintains highly-recognized licensed and private-label brands across the legwear and apparel segments, with product ranges from infant and toddler through adults. Stratified distribution allows ULAC to leverage business across all retail channels for brand partners, and private label programs offer well-engineered, right-priced products. ULAC’s mission is simple: to manufacture with integrity, and distribute legwear, apparel, and accessories of highest quality and best value. Visit www.unitedlegwear.com for more information.
CONTACT: Rita Polidori O’Brien VP Marketing and Communications PRO PLAYER 212-299-4175 rita@proplayer.com
