Perry Ellis International, Inc. (PEI), fashion house for iconic menswear label Perry Ellis®, announced today the launch of Perry Ellis America®; a limited edition capsule collection of the brand’s famed sub-label, which first debuted in 1984. A homage to the original collection, PEI is exploring its archives to recreate some of its most recognizable Perry Ellis America pieces, while introducing new additions inspired by the bold logos and vibrant colors of the 90’s.
From prep to grunge, to logos and back, fashion guru Perry Ellis (Mr. Ellis) defined American fashion for generations. In 1984 – in partnership with Levi’s – Mr. Ellis launched Perry Ellis America, the very first clothing collaboration of its kind. The collection fused luxury fashion with everyday classics to create a fresh, unique direction in American sportswear; a concept that would be imitated but never duplicated.
(PRNewsfoto/Perry Ellis International, Inc.)
PEI will once again take American sportswear into new territory with the introduction of Perry Ellis America. The unisex collection will revisit the fashion history Mr. Ellis helped to create, by bringing 90’s streetwear staples back for a limited time for enthusiasts around the world.
The first of five Perry Ellis America capsules will drop on October 10 at Matches Fashion, followed by a global rollout with retail partners including HBX, Bloomingdale’s, and Ron Robinson at Fred Segal. The collection will also be available at the brand new www.PerryEllisAmerica.com.
“Initially, Perry Ellis America was Mr. Ellis’ answer to his personal need for true, weekend casualwear,” said Perry Ellis brand Creative Director, Michael Maccari. “Rooted in denim, it [Perry Ellis America] still had the true sportswear handwriting of his collection but was meant to tie back to jeans. As it evolved in the 90’s – when the streetwear trend became more bold and prevalent – the line transitioned into graphics, logos, color blocking, nylon, etc. At that time, logo-heavy track suits, anoraks, and sporty outerwear were staples of the line, lending a more laid-back look than in previous iterations. The new Perry Ellis America establishes a true casual collection, rich with the bold logos that made the original line a success, and helps to reinforce our history and our foundation in the same way that it did for Mr. Ellis with the first launch.”
The first limited edition 12-piece capsule will include an assortment of instantly recognizable hallmark Perry Ellis America styles, including reissued nylon tracksuits, washed denim, color-blocked outerwear, and an assortment of logo-heavy fleeces and tees.
Perry Ellis America will launch with an evocative new campaign entitled “The New America,” that was developed in collaboration with Hypebeast, and features a diverse group of young, stylish influencers including athlete and model, Cordell Broadus.
Broadus and the other influencers in the campaign reflect the youth of today’s America – a group that is not held back by past conceptions of race, gender or religion. They are worldly and diverse – finding their way by creating new opportunities for themselves in fashion, music and art. They combine international inspiration with American heritage to create a style that blends references of both old and new into a fresh contemporary aesthetic. They are the ultimate expression of the New America. The campaign will live on www.Hypebeast.com as well as all PEI social and digital channels.
“The relaunch of Perry Ellis America marks the next stage in the rollout of our “Life Ready Since 1976™” brand positioning,” said Perry Ellis brand President, Melissa Worth. “We are reaching into our archives to bring the brand’s rich heritage to life, bringing the past to the present.”
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®, An 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® for swimwear, and Callaway®, PGA TOUR®, and Jack Nicklaus® for golf apparel and Guy Harvey® for performance fishing and resort wear. Additional information on the company is available at http://www.pery.com.
The limited edition reissue will feature iconic 90’s pieces across a series of drops through 2019.
