Stepping In

Guess? Inc. (Los Angeles) has announced an exclusive licensing agreement with Marc Fisher LLC to develop, manufacture and distribute athletic and fashion footwear under the Guess? trademark in the U.S. and selected other countries. The initial term of the agreement is for 10 years and includes an option for renewal. The new footwear lines will launch during the fall 2005 season.

Marc Fisher is a footwear industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience at Nine West and its predecessor, and is the son of Nine West co-founder Jerome Fisher.

“With the selection of Marc Fisher as our partner for this license, we are taking an important step in expanding the presence of Guess? footwear both domestically and globally,” said Paul Marciano, Guess? Inc. co-chairman and co-ceo. “We see significant opportunities for this business and, through our joint efforts, we will be well positioned to fully realize the great potential of the Guess? brand in the worldwide footwear market.”

Guess? Inc. designs, markets, distributes and licenses a lifestyle collection of contemporary apparel, accessories and related consumer products. As of Dec. 31, 2004, the company owned and operated 287 retail stores in the U.S. and Canada. The company also distributes its products through department and specialty stores around the world.