| Jones Apparel Group, Inc. engages in the design, marketing, and wholesale of apparel, footwear, and accessories primarily in the United States and Canada. Its products include skirts, blouses, pants, jackets, sweaters, jeanswear, suits, dresses, casual tops, outerwear, shorts, and vests for womens, juniors, and girls market. The company offers its products under various categories, including career and casual sportswear, lifestyle, dresses, suits, and a combination of various components. It also sells footwear, handbags, and small leather goods, as well as costume, semiprecious, sterling silver, and marcasite jewelry. The company markets its products under various brands, including Jones New York, Nine West, Anne Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt, Kasper, Bandolino, Easy Spirit, Evan-Picone, l.e.i., Energie, Enzo Angiolini, Joan & David, Mootsies Tootsies, Sam & Libby, Napier, Judith Jack, Albert Nipon, and Le Suit. It also markets costume jewelry under the Givenchy brand licensed from Givenchy Corporation, and footwear under the Dockers Women brand licensed from Levi Strauss & Co. In addition, the company licenses its brand names to manufacturers and distributors of womens and mens apparel and accessories products. Jones Apparel Group sells its products through specialty and department stores, and mass merchandisers, as well as through company-owned network of retail and factory outlet stores, and e-commerce Websites. As of December 31, 2008, it operated 373 specialty retail stores, and 644 outlet stores. Jones Apparel Group has a joint venture with Royale Etenia LLC to develop, market, and license the New York-based fashion brand, Rachel Roy. The company was founded in 1975 and is based in New York, New York. |