Cipriani Adds Lacoste License

NEW YORK – Lacoste S.A. has licensed Cipriani Accessories to manufacture and market men’s and women’s belts under the Lacoste label in the U.S.

The Lacoste line will make its retail debut for the Spring 2007 season and is to be targeted to Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s and select specialty stores. It will be housed in Cipriani’s new Designer Accessories division under Andrew Carter, unit president. The firm’s Calvin Klein and Michael Kors belt offerings are also managed through Designer Accessories, as will other branded efforts the company is currently exploring, Carter said.

Carter joined Cipriani this spring to head the Design Accessories group. Prior to that, he had spent 17 years with Trafalgar, the last four of them as president of the company. Earlier in his career, he worked at Paul Staurt, Willis and Geiger and Polo Ralph Lauren fragrances.

At Cipriani, he reports to Jarrod Kahn and Evan Mittman, principals and co-chief executives of the New York-based accessories firm.