JONES APPAREL GROUP

Jones Apparel Group: translation

AFortune500 company that is abrandconglomerate, Jones's present chairman and director, Sidney Kim-mel, began the group more than thirty years ago. Jones Apparel Group is adesigner, marketer, and wholesaler ofbranded accessoriesand apparel. Jones has its own chain ofspecialty retailestablishments and, in 2004, entered into a merger agreement with luxury retailerBarneys. National brands include Albert Nipon,Anne Klein, Bandolino, Easy Spirit, Energie, Enzo Angiolini, Erika, Evan-Picone, l.e.i.,Gloria Vanderbilt, Joan & David, Jones New York, Judith Jack, Kasper, Le Suit, Mootsies Tootsies, Napier,Nine West, Norton McNaughton, and Sam & Libby.Jones also markets apparel under the PoloJeansCompany brand,licensedfrom PoloRalph Lauren, andGivenchyfrom the Givenchy Corporation.

Jones entered thefootwearbusiness in 1999 with the purchase of Nine West. In 2005, Jones succeeded in a $346-million takeover of Maxwell Shoe. A major competitive player in thedepartment storearena, Jones is making inroads to the moderate market as well. In 2006, it launched Jeanstar branddenim, targeted at a moderate price point. This will provide the Jones Apparel Group with depth and balance across all markets. Jones had affiliations in more than sixty foreign countries as of 2006.

See alsoChain store.