NEW YORK — Marc Bouwer isn’t skimping on the glamour with his first diffusion line.
Even the ready-to-wear collection’s name Marc Bouwer Glamit plays off his favorite response to any design challenge, “Glam it.”
Bouwer and his business partner, Paul Margolin, have signed a licensing deal with the husband-and-wife team of Robert Rosen, chief executive officer of La Rose Inc. and Elaine Lai, ceo of Lai Apparel, to produce Marc Bouwer Glamit ready-to-wear. Bouwer and Lai have worked closely for the past two years through his gig on the QVC shopping channel. Her company makes the M by Marc Bouwer label that he sells on the air.
Although the designer has been approached many times by potential licensors and financial backers during his company’s 15-year history, he did not expect Lai to fall into either category. Then, unexpectedly, Lai said she and her husband would like to invest in a diffusion collection that would eventually be taken worldwide. Marc Bouwer Glamit has been incorporated as a separate entity.
The initial 70-piece collection consists of movie premiere-type dresses with sculpted busts and glittery accents. Vibrant colors like coral, pink, purple and sapphire pack another wallop.
Unlike his signature couture, which wholesales from $1,300 to $6,000, Marc Bouwer Glamit wholesales from $175 to $550 and is designed to be a more affordable alternative for young women stepping out for their first black-tie events or other formal affairs. Another point of difference: the high-end collection is hand draped and handmade. Marc Bouwer Glamit is designed from Bouwer’s sketches and produced by an overseas factory.
Sharon Tate, Mia Farrow, Raquel Welch and other young stars from the Sixties provided the inspiration for the ultra-feminine first collection. The end result is an array of chiffon pieces from baby-doll dresses to floor-length gowns.
Many of the targeted customers for Marc Bouwer Glamit will be more familiar with contemporary celebrities he has dressed including Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Beyoncé Knowles, Jessica Simpson and Sarah Jessica Parker. The designer will continue to suit up high-profile clients and others from his signature showroom at 27 West 20th St. in Manhattan. His 7th on Sixth show is scheduled for Sept. 8. In addition, People’s Revolution has been hired to spread the word about the diffusion line and to help with celebrity placement.
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Marc Bouwer Glamit will be housed at a new all-white 4,000-square-foot showroom at 275 West 39th St., and will also be sold through reps in Dallas, Atlanta and Las Vegas. Projected wholesale volume is expected to climb from $6 million in the first year to $15 million by the third year, said Rosen, who is chief operating officer of Marc Bouwer Glamit. Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s and better specialty stores are being targeted for the December-January retail launch.
“This is such a weight off our shoulders,” Bouwer said. “Now Paul and I can focus on the creativity and building the brand.”
The designer said that he will be heavily engaged in all aspects of Marc Bouwer Glamit. “Anytime I have done anything very successful, I’ve been very involved and have given it my all,” he said.