HONG KONG and NEW YORK,
June 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/
-- Global Brands Group Holding Limited ("Global Brands" or the
"Group"; SEHK Stock Code: 787), one of the world's leading branded
apparel, footwear, and fashion accessories companies, today
announced that it will partner with the bebe brand ("bebe") to
relaunch a newly transformed e-commerce platform and its
international brick-and-mortar stores designed to meet the
heightened shopping expectations of the savvy, confident female
consumer.
The announcement represents the first initiative under Global
Brands' direction of bebe's e-commerce platform, direct-to-consumer
divisions and international operations. The Company has also
appointed designer Nathan Jenden as
Creative Director to lead this effort. Mr. Jenden is well known for
his eponymous collections, as well as his time as Creative Director
at Diane von Furstenberg.
"bebe is an iconic fashion brand with a loyal, global
following," said Sandra Campos, who
was recently appointed President of the bebe division at Global
Brands Group. "With Global Brands' renowned expertise behind us, we
see a tremendous opportunity to relaunch a new e-commerce platform
that best reflects who our global customer is and how she shops. We
are very excited to welcome Nathan on board, as he's a strong and
proven design talent, with a remarkable pulse on keeping up with
today's consumer. He understands who she is, where she's going, and
how she wants to be reached. And we are confident that he is
uniquely positioned to best lead the creative vision of the bebe
brand."
Mr. Jenden joins Global Brands Group's bebe division after
spending over a decade working with fashion icon Diane Von Furstenburg, and then catering to a
prominent client list that counted music mogul and mega star,
Madonna. He launched his own label during New York Fashion Week
2005, and by his third collection, he had Philip Treacy on board for the headpieces, and
Christian Louboutin doing the heels
– an impactful collaboration, which got him noticed by WWD and the
International Herald Tribune. Mr. Jenden studied at Central Saint
Martins and the Royal College of Art, and made his foray into the
fashion world as an apprentice to John Galliano.
"bebe is one of the original brands in the world of
contemporary, chic women's fashion, which brought something new to
market that wasn't like anything we had ever seen at that time,"
said Nathan Jenden. "I believe
passionately in the brand's diverse consumer who adores seductive,
decorated and feminine clothes through her life twenty-four seven,
and our vision is to target her complete lifestyle from clothes to
accessories and beyond. We are looking at what a woman wants now,
how she shops, and what she needs, and we'll seek rich and engaging
conversations with our customers to ensure we are part of their
integral global community."
Joseph Gabbay, Chief Executive
Officer of Bluestar Alliance LLC, which forged a partnership with
bebe stores, inc (Nasdaq: BEBE) in 2016 to create new licensees and
product extensions for the brand, commented, "As we continue to
build out the wholesale and department store distribution for the
bebe brand, it was a natural transition for Global Brands Group to
take over the bebe e-commerce platform. Global Brands Group has
been a strategic licensee and can now seamlessly synergize the
international distribution, e-commerce platform and wholesale
business. Our efforts will concentrate on an omni-channel
distribution approach to service and expand the bebe customer, both
domestically and internationally." Bluestar Alliance LLC will
continue managing the brand with the existing partnership remaining
intact.
Ralph Gindi, COO of Bluestar
Alliance LLC, also commented, "A
robust marketing initiative is set to be shared for the upcoming
Fall 2017 season. Since our acquisition less than a year ago, we
have introduced two major advertising campaigns. First featuring
globally recognized model Irina Shayk, shot on the islands of
Greece, followed by the more
recent and active campaign featuring model Hailey Clauson. The latter campaign was shot by
Luigi & Iango and can been seen today in outlets such as Vogue,
Elle & InStyle amongst others. During festival season bebe
activated with the campaign #bebefest. Through top funnel
marketing, our omni channel approach & efforts yielded 18
Million impressions and new streams of revenue via customer
acquisition. As we continue forward our integrated marketing
activities in all aspects (print, social media, press & brand
marketing) will speak directly to the loyal bebe customer and
showcase its DNA, season after season."
About Global Brands Group Holding Limited
Global Brands Group Holding Limited (SEHK Stock Code: 787) is
one of the world's leading branded apparel, footwear and fashion
accessories companies. The Group designs, develops, markets and
sells products under a diverse array of owned and licensed brands
and a wide range of product categories.
Global Brands' innovative design capabilities, strong brand
management focus, and strategic vision enable it to create new
opportunities, product categories and market expansion for brands
on a global scale. In addition, the Group is the global leader in
the brand management business through its joint venture, CAA-GBG
Brand Management Group. For more information, please visit the
corporate website: www.globalbrandsgroup.com.
About bebe® brand
Unique, sophisticated and timelessly sexy, bebe emerged as the
first contemporary fashion destination in 1976. Today, bebe
continues to define next-generation chic while staying true to its
assertive, provocative origins. Inspired by Shakespeare's immortal
words "To be, or not to be," the brand is, at its essence, about
living, standing out and truly existing.
About Bluestar Alliance LLC
Founded by Joseph Gabbay and
Ralph Gindi in 2006. Bluestar
Alliance owns, manages, and markets a portfolio of consumer brands
that span across many tiers of distribution from luxury to mass
market with a heavy emphasis on department store retail brands.
Brands within the portfolio include Bebe, Kensie, Catherine Malandrino, Nanette Lepore, Joan
Vass, Michael Bastian,
English Laundry and Limited Too.
The firm's investment mandate is to identify and purchase
consumer brand companies where it can leverage the brand equity and
expand its current categories to a broader consumer base. To
facilitate the overall strategy Bluestar Alliance relies on their
branding/marketing knowledge, extensive relationships with retail
management, strategic partnerships and brand licensing
manufacturing entities. Each brand is uniquely positioned
maintaining the brand heritage and equity, considering new
categories and current tiers of distribution.
Bluestar Alliance's current network of international and
domestic partners offers the opportunity to take a niche brand to a
visible worldwide lifestyle brand. Since its inception, Bluestar
Alliance has acquired select brands with current retail sales
exceeding $2 billion. The current
portfolio of brands manages over 200 licensees who distribute
product throughout North America,
Europe, Australia, South
America, Asia, Middle East and India.
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bebe-brand-to-relaunch-e-commerce-platform-and-international-operations-under-global-brands-groups-new-strategic-direction-300475114.html
SOURCE bebe brand