C&W leads Calvin Klein launch of free-standing stores.

Calvin Klein, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation, announced details on the planned launch of five freestanding Calvin Klein-branded better specialty retail stores in the United States featuring apparel and accessories under the Calvin Klein white label.

Cushman & Wakefield is acting as the company's exclusive agent for the full-price Calvin Klein specialty retail store initiative.

The first stores for which leases have been signed are in The Beverly Center in Los Angeles, California; Cherry Creek in Denver, Colorado; The Mall At Partridge Creek in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (all developed by The Taubman Company); Natick Collection in Natick, Massachusetts (developed by General Growth Properties); and Lenox Square in Atlanta, Georgia (developed by Simon Property Group).

"We are pleased to have had the opportunity to continue our relationship with Calvin Klein and assist them in the implementation of this exciting new retail concept," said Alan Napack, senior director, Cushman & Wakefield Retail Services.

"The uniqueness of these new stores has prompted an extraordinary response from the retail development community, enabling Calvin Klein to secure five high-profile locations in key retail markets. We will continue to pursue these types of sites as Calvin Klein expands the presence of its new concept across the United States."

The introduction of full-price Calvin Klein white label specialty retail stores is based upon the continued growth at retail of both the women's and men's better sportswear lines sold under the Calvin Klein white label since their launch in 2004, and the subsequent successful introductions of other categories and accessories with the company's licensing partners.

Today the Calvin Klein white label offerings represent over $3 billion in global retail sales volume.

The company plans to open the five freestanding Calvin Klein specialty retail locations in November 2007 to showcase the full range of the Calvin Klein men's and women's better apparel and accessories offering.

"These freestanding stores are a very important step for the Calvin Klein white label brand, as they provide an experiential platform to showcase the brand's lifestyle. The store's aesthetic and product assortments will be aspirational, and instrumental in our continuous effort to maintain the brand's image while elevating the brand's profile," said Tom Murry, president & CEO, Calvin Klein, Inc.

Each concept store will average approximately 10,000 s/f and will bring together merchandise from virtually all categories presently available under the Calvin Klein white label lineof men's and women's better apparel and accessories.

Based upon the success of these stores and dependent upon opportunity and availability within key markets, the company intends to add five freestanding stores by the end of 2008. Potential markets under consideration for additional stores include metro New York, Boston, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, Orlando, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, and Scottsdale, as well as other major metropolitan markets.

These stores were designed by Lynch Eisinger Design, working with Calvin Klein, Inc.'s in-house retail design and planning team with project management services provided by Watershed Partners Inc.

Said John Walsh, president & chief operating officer, Calvin Klein Retail, "We are very excited about the launch of our first specialty retail stores in the U.S. market. This initial test phase will allow us the opportunity to refine our product offerings and develop market-specific merchandising strategies that appeal to the specialty retail client base."