USA: R.G. Barry Licenses Liz Claiborne Name

R.G. Barry Corporation, the world's largest manufacturer and marketer of comfort footwear, today announced that it has acquired exclusive rights from Liz Claiborne to manufacture and market slippers under the Liz Claiborne and Claiborne labels.R.G. Barry's new Liz Claiborne brand of footwear for women will be sold through hosiery departments, and Claiborne for Men slippers will be sold through men's accessories departments in upper tier department stores and specialty retailers nationally. The first collections of Liz Claiborne for Women slippers will be available to the trade March 1, 2001, for fall delivery. Claiborne for Men slippers will be available in 2002."We are very excited about the possibilities this license offers," said R.G. Barry Chairman of the Board and CEO Gordon Zacks. "This is the first true lifestyle brand in the slipper category. It is a tremendous addition to our stable of brand names that includes Dearfoams and EZfeet domestically and Barry Comfort in Europe. We expect great things from this collaboration. Terms of the licensing agreement were not disclosed.