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City Centre Deira, Dubai, UAE

FIFA World Cup Participant,
Miguel Layún of Mexico, Alcorta Mall, Buenos Aires, Argentina
PEI Brand Ambassador
Showcasing Authenticity

Perry Ellis International is a leading designer, distributor and licensor of a broad
line of high quality men’s and women’s apparel, accessories and fragrances. Here,
RLI sits down with Oscar Feldenkreis, CEO & President of the company to discuss
the vertical growth of its direct-to-consumer business and how the expansion of its e-commerce platform
and retail stores is a key objective moving forward.

erry Ellis International (PEI) is a global fashion house that with continued growth in markets like Brazil, Uruguay and Ecuador.
Prepresents a diverse portfolio of wholly owned and licensed men’s As the conversation with Oscar moves onto the topic of new product
and women’s brands. It is a company that continues to design clothes, development, he explains that the business is proud of their solid
fragrances, watches, footwear and more, with real life in mind. Building sourcing structure and cutting-edge product and fabric development
on the vision of their namesake, they are innovating to bring today’s man teams worldwide and that advanced research and development facilities
a fresh and relevant wardrobe that is versatile and adaptable. further support their high quality standards.
Today the company operates around 250 stores globally, with a “We are always seeking newness and innovation which enables us
strong focus on continuing to grow their international presence through to maximise, design and develop products while always seeking white
its portfolio of nationally and internationally recognised brands. Their space opportunities. In addition, our design team travels internationally
strategy reflects a global approach and in today’s marketplace the and utilises a variety of trend resources to gain insight and be ahead of Punto Valle Mall, Monterrey, Mexico
opportunities internationally are truly driving high value business forward the fashion curve,” Feldenkreis highlights.
with better brand cache and visibility to a more diverse demographic The company prides itself on being at the forefront of innovation
and consumer base. and technology and they focus on the customer experience through a
“Domestically we have opened over 60 stores, with the Perry Ellis brand variety of marketing initiatives that ultimately result in continued brand appeal of the outdoor lifestyle and the extension into sports collections
leading the way closely followed by Original Penguin (OPG) and Cubavera. loyalty. The business understands that the future has arrived and they have grown, we have invested in athletic brand ambassadors across a
The fastest growth has been in GAS (Golf Apparel Shop) shops in Myrtle must be able to adapt across brand touchpoints and evolving consumer variety of sports including golf, tennis and pickleball.”
Beach and Tampa, with St. Augustine which opened in February 2024,” dynamics. They provide a comprehensive brand experience that allows Feldenkreis believes that the ethos of PEI is to continue to be
explains Oscar Feldenkreis, CEO & President of Perry Ellis International. the customer to form an intimate bond with their products and services a responsible corporate citizen while continuing to cultivate their
“Internationally, Brazil represents a major growth market for us with new through exceptional customer service and educational employee training. entrepreneurial spirit and family culture by empowering their associates.
store openings occurring this past October at Catarina Premium Outlet As we land on the topic of social media, Oscar comments that social He continues by saying that the business has always been able to adapt to
and Shopping Center Norte. In addition, the appeal of street, skate and media can be a double-edged sword, but that they choose to empower change and they are extremely proud of their more than 55-year legacy.
surf brands like Gotcha resonate globally and have huge potential for their brands’ relationships with the consumer through these digital and “As the industry transforms, we will continue to seek niche
growth, with stores already in Morocco, UAE and France.” physical touch points, in order to not only keep an open dialogue but opportunities and constantly explore new business initiatives through
As the company looks forward, domestically they are opening in also to foster a strong community around the brand, its values and product innovation, testing and technology. We pride ourselves in
Montehiedra, San Juan in Puerto Rico later this year as the territory lifestyle perspectives. continuing to develop our relationships with our retail partners, licensees
continues to experience good growth. Internationally, Martex S.A. has a After the last few years, sustainability has become a major factor in the and consumers.”
five-year deal with OPG in Uruguay and Paraguay which will begin in the world of retail and PEI reflects this importance across its operations. From The company’s diversified approach has allowed them to navigate
second half of the year. The plan foresees the launch of five OPG stores, their conversion to solar panels via their warehousing systems, sourcing and sell across every level of retail from luxury to mass. So what would
as well as online and wholesale units. Martex Group also manages brands responsibly, utilising recycled materials and employee education, they take Oscar say is a challenge for the business moving forward?
such as Lacoste, Levi’s and Bimba y Lola in Argentina. the steps that they can to drive the business forward in a sustainable way. “In terms of challenges, we are bracing for an uphill battle relating
In addition, MBO Group has signed a five-year deal with OPG for Chile As we ask the CEO & President about the key drivers behind the to supply chain and logistics as the geo-political environment continues
and Peru which is due to launch in this quarter. The plan foresees the success of the company to date, he explains that: to remain in disarray. However, my father George has a saying that we
opening of nine OPG retail stores, online and wholesale through Falabella “Consumers are seeking an engaging experience regardless of all know well here at PEI and that is the sentiment that ‘each year will
department stores. MBO also manages brands such as Perry Ellis, BOSS, the platform. What we are doing is looking at adding layers and new undoubtedly be harder than the last and we must prepare ourselves to
Florsheim, TRIAL and Canadiene. When discussing OPG, Feldenkreis experiences to traditional retail models and we are currently working do our best and continue to grow and evolve together’,” Feldenkreis St. Augustine Premium Outlets
Florida, US
explains that Spain represents a strong opportunity for them in 2024 along on various experiential retail projects through licensing platforms. As the says to conclude our discussion.
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