Dive Brief:
- Marquee Brands is partnering with G-III Apparel Group and JS Group to forward the brand expansion of BGBC Max Azria, BCBGeneration and BCBG, according to a press release sent to Fashion Dive Thursday.
- G-III will oversee women’s dresses, ready-to-wear separates, sportswear and swimwear products for BCBGeneration and BCBG in the U.S. and Canada, while JS will focus on ready-to-wear and occasion wear for BGBC Max Azria. Both partnerships are slated to start with the 2025 collections of their respective brands.
- Marquee Brands acquired the BCBG portfolio of brands and related intellectual property in August 2017, after BCBG Max Azria Group entered bankruptcy in March of that year.
Dive Insight:
Tunisia-born designer Max Azria founded BCBG in 1989, and named the line after the Parisian expression “bon chic, bon genre,” which translates to “good style, good attitude.” The label helped define a category that was especially prominent in the 1990s called “bridge fashion,” which generally covered clothing priced below designer but above mass market.
As the 1990s continue to make a comeback, the BCBG brand may be poised for a revival.
“This moment marks a defining point in BCBG’s evolution,” Rachel Terrace, chief brand officer of Marquee Brands, said in the release. “These partnerships will elevate our collections with unparalleled creativity and sophistication, aligning with our overall vision of celebrating the dynamic woman. G-III’s robust expertise and infrastructure, coupled with JS’s mastery in occasion wear, will expand and enrich our product offerings. These transformative collaborations with two leading partners reinforce BCBG’s commitment to setting new standards in fashion and celebrating confident, stylish women.”
When the company declared bankruptcy, Fashion Dive sister publication Retail Dive reported that “online shopping and changing consumer tastes were responsible” for sales declines.
Now, as the brand undergoes a strategic and pivotal refresh,” Marquee Brands stated that the “next phase is poised to significantly broaden the reach and accessibility of BCBG’s fashion lines,” per the release. New licenses may help forward that mission.
G-III, which designs, manufactures and markets apparel worldwide, owns brands including DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld and Vilebrequin. In addition, the company licenses more than 20 brands, including Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica and Halston. In its June earnings release, the company projected net sales of about $3.2 billion for fiscal 2025.
JS has roots in eveningwear and holds the licenses for Halston and Kay Unger. The company also owns womenswear brands including AMUR and Et Ochs. The privately held company does not report earnings.