Marc Jacobs International isn’t limiting its children’s wear to dry land.
The company, which unveiled Little Marc Jacobs apparel in 2005, has signed on with Swimwear Anywhere Inc., a Farmington, N.Y.-based Marc by Marc Jacobs swimwear licensee, to design and produce Little Marc Jacobs girls’ and boys’ swimwear launching for cruise 2010.
The roughly 50-piece collection, which contains around 10 cover-up styles, runs from size two through 10 and will wholesale from $32.50 to $44.50 for girls and $17.50 to $36.50 for boys.
“Product expansion is a key element of Marc Jacobs’ strategy,” said Bertrand Stalla-Bourdillon, Marc Jacobs International chief executive officer and chairman.
Rosemarie DiLorenzo, who owns Swimwear Anywhere and Huntington Beach, Calif.-based Tyr Sport with husband Joseph, said Little Marc Jacobs swimwear draws heavily upon popular looks in Little Marc boys’ and girls’ apparel, and Marc by Marc Jacobs adult ready-to-wear and swimwear. She pointed to the Little Miss and Mister Marc signature cartoon graphics pulled from Marc by Marc Jacobs’ apparel and accessories, and kissing fish prints used in Marc by Marc Jacobs swimsuits.
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“People are always looking for mommy-and-me-type things,” said DiLorenzo. “Honestly, the cuter, the better. The more iconically recognizable, the better. That is why we continued with Little Miss Marc and Little Mister Marc.”
Swimwear Anywhere developed Marc by Marc Jacobs grown-up swimwear starting for spring this year and is enlarging the line for cruise. From the beginning, plans called for a swift extension into kids’ swimwear. “When we did the spring launch, it was received very well even though the economic times have been tough,” said DiLorenzo, who also worked to expand Juicy Couture swimwear to children. “We felt we should just keep going.”
The distribution of Little Marc Jacobs swimwear will mirror the distribution of Marc by Marc Jacobs apparel with the exception of an increased emphasis on children’s specialty shops, said DiLorenzo. The kids’ swimwear is expected to enter 200 Marc by Marc Jacobs stores, select better department stores and specialty shops in its first year on the market. The company declined to give first-year sales expectations.
Swimwear Anywhere’s stable of swim brands includes the licensed Carmen Marc Valvo, Juicy Couture, DKNY and Michael Kors and in-house Roxanne, Beach House and Coco Reef. DiLorenzo said swimwear consumers are “still looking to spend money on special luxury, and the kids’ is following suit.” She added, “People in this economy are spending on their kids still.”