Perry Ellis International

What Perry Ellis International does

Perry Ellis International (PEI) is a fashion designer, distributor, and licensor of apparel, accessories, and fragrances, headquartered in Miami, Florida, with operations tracing to 1967 and a workforce of 10,000+ employees. The company serves men's and women's apparel markets across dress, casual, golf, athletic, and swimwear categories, distributing through all major levels of US retail — department stores, national and regional chains, sporting goods retailers, better specialty stores, and a small set of company-owned outlets — alongside select international wholesale channels. PEI's customer base is the broad US consumer; its commercial counterparties are retailers rather than a small set of named accounts.

The product offering is anchored by a multi-brand portfolio of 11 owned brands (Perry Ellis, Original Penguin, Rafaella, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Cubavera, Ben Hogan, Savane, Grand Slam, John Henry, Manhattan, Farah) and four core licensed brands (Nike for swimwear; Callaway, PGA TOUR, and Jack Nicklaus for golf apparel). Technology under the operation is operational rather than AI: PEI deploys Mojix RFID across its store network for SKU- and size-level inventory tracking, and the company maintains a Social Compliance Code of Conduct and disclosures under the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, the UK Modern Slavery Act, and Canada's Forced and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act.

PEI's business model combines wholesale apparel revenue (dress shirts, golf sportswear, sweaters, dress pants, jeans, activewear, swimwear) with licensing royalties from sports-brand intellectual property agreements — most importantly a long-dated Callaway Apparel license extended through December 2032 with a premium line targeted for 2028. Go-to-market is sales-led across multi-tier retail channels, supplemented by brand ambassador programs (PGA TOUR golfer Brian Campbell in 2025; NCAA champion Carolina Chacarra in 2026), trade-show presence (PGA Show 2026), and sports-league partnerships (NHL, January 2025). The company is privately held (PEI Operating, LLC), with ownership tracing through founder George Feldenkreis, who serves as Chairman, and minority capital from STORY3 Capital Partners as last disclosed in 2021.

Name

Perry Ellis International

Legal name

Perry Ellis International, Inc.

Website

https://pery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Perry Ellis International is a Miami-based designer, distributor, and licensor of apparel, accessories, and fragrances, operating a multi-brand portfolio of owned and licensed men's and women's brands distributed through US wholesale retailers and select international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Apparel Design and Distribution

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811)

SIC

Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Athletic / Performance & Activewear Brands (CRAAAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Golf & Tennis Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAF)

Keywords

• Men's apparel design
• Women's fashion apparel
• Golf sportswear licensing
• Apparel brand portfolio
• Swimwear distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Licensing Royalties: Perry Ellis International generates significant revenue through licensing arrangements with third parties. The company licenses trademarks including Nike for swimwear, and Callaway, PGA TOUR and Jack Nicklaus for golf apparel. A major licensing agreement with Topgolf Callaway Brands extends through December 2032.
2. Wholesale Apparel Sales: Design, distribution and sale of branded apparel through wholesale channels including department stores, national chains, regional chains, sporting goods stores, and better specialty stores. Products include dress shirts, golf sportswear, sweaters, dress pants, casual pants, shorts, jeans wear, active wear, dresses, and swimwear.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Perry Ellis International designs, distributes, and licenses a broad line of men's and women's apparel, accessories, and fragrances through a portfolio of owned brands (Perry Ellis, Original Penguin, Rafaella, Cubavera, Farah, Ben Hogan, Savane, Grand Slam, John Henry, Manhattan, Laundry by Shelli Segal) and licensed trademarks (Nike swimwear, Callaway, PGA TOUR, and Jack Nicklaus golf apparel). Products include dress shirts, golf sportswear, sweaters, dress pants, casual pants, shorts, jeans wear, active wear, dresses, and swimwear distributed through department stores, national and regional chains, sporting goods stores, and company-owned retail locations.

Product overview

Perry Ellis International is a designer, distributor and licensor of apparel and accessories with a multi-brand portfolio. The company operates a platform of owned brands (Perry Ellis, Original Penguin, Rafaella, Cubavera, Farah, Ben Hogan, Gotcha, Grand Slam, Havanera, Jack Nicklaus, John Henry, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Manhattan, Natural Issue, Nike Swim, PGA Tour, Pro Player, Savane) complemented by licensed brands (Nike for swimwear, Callaway for golf apparel, PGA TOUR for golf apparel, Jack Nicklaus for golf apparel). The portfolio spans men's and women's dress shirts, golf sportswear, sweaters, dress pants, casual pants, jeans wear, active wear, dresses, and swimwear across multiple retail channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Perry Ellis: Core brand offering men's and women's apparel, accessories and fragrances
• Original Penguin
• Rafaella
• Callaway
• Cubavera
• Farah
• Ben Hogan
• Gotcha
• Grand Slam
• Havanera
• Jack Nicklaus
• John Henry
• Laundry by Shelli Segal
• Manhattan
• Natural Issue
• Nike Swim
• PGA Tour
• Savane
• Pro Player

Products and services

• Perry Ellis Flagship brand offering men's and women's apparel across dress shirts, pants, activewear, and casual categories available at major retail levels.
• Original Penguin Heritage apparel brand with over 60 years of history, leveraging mid-century classic designs updated seasonally for modern lifestyle and appealing to youth culture.
• Callaway Apparel

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and strategic.

• Miami Pickleball ClubminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 April 2026Partnership with Miami Pickleball Club as one of the athlete representatives for the Original Penguin Spring 2026 Women's Collection, targeting the 'crossover athlete' demographic for golf, pickleball, padel, and tennis.
• Callaway BrandscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 12 January 2026Perry Ellis International develops and licenses Callaway Apparel under the Callaway Brands partnership. The company participated in the 2026 PGA Show to showcase its Summer/Fall 2026 collection featuring performance fabrics including Modal, Tencel, and Lyocell blends with sustainable materials.
• Topgolf Callaway BrandscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 13 November 2025Topgolf Callaway Brands and Perry Ellis International extended their long-standing Callaway Apparel licensing agreement through December 2032. The partnership includes plans for a new premium Callaway Apparel line to be launched by 2028 and aims to expand the brand's global reach with new product offerings.
• NHL (National Hockey League)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 January 2025Perry Ellis International partnered with the NHL as announced in January 2025, expanding the company's sports brand collaborations.
• NikecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPerry Ellis International is the official global licensee for Nike swimwear, designing, marketing and distributing competitive and active swimwear, swim gear and related apparel for men, women and young athletes.
• PGA TOURcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPerry Ellis International holds a license for PGA TOUR branded golf apparel, offering superior quality, performance and comfort for men and women golfers and non-golfers with fashion innovation.
• Jack NicklauscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPerry Ellis International licenses the Jack Nicklaus brand for premium pro-performance golf apparel. The 'Golden Bear' brand leverages the legendary golfer's reputation for excellence and championship quality.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• G-III Apparel Group: G-III Apparel is a multi-brand apparel manufacturer, designer, and licensor of products under owned brands (DKNY, Donna Karan, Karl Lagerfeld, Vilebrequin) and licensed brands (Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi's). Closely comparable to PEI's model of combining owned heritage brands with third-party sports/lifestyle licensing.
• Vince Holding Corp: Vince Holding Corp is a contemporary apparel and lifestyle brand operator with wholesale and direct-to-consumer distribution. Comparable to PEI's mid-tier contemporary apparel positioning across menswear and womenswear through department store and specialty channels.
• Ralph Lauren: Ralph Lauren operates as a global lifestyle apparel brand with premium positioning across menswear, womenswear, golf, and active categories. Comparable to PEI's portfolio of heritage brands spanning dress, casual, golf, and lifestyle apparel distributed through wholesale and retail channels.
• Authentic Brands Group: Authentic Brands Group is a brand licensing platform that owns and licenses a portfolio of 50+ brands including Reebok, Forever 21, Brooks Brothers, and Aeropostale. Comparable to PEI's licensing-centric revenue model and multi-brand management approach, though at much larger scale.
• Kontoor Brands: Kontoor Brands owns and licenses iconic denim and apparel brands including Wrangler, Lee, and Helly Hansen, with similar wholesale distribution through mass and specialty channels. Comparable as a multi-brand apparel platform with heritage brands and global wholesale distribution.
• PVH Corp: PVH owns and licenses Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, two of the most globally recognized apparel brands, and operates a wholesale-led multi-brand distribution model. Directly comparable to PEI as a multi-brand apparel platform with both owned brands and licensed product lines distributed through department stores and specialty retail.
• Tapestry: Tapestry operates a portfolio of lifestyle brands including Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman across apparel, accessories, and footwear. Comparable as a multi-brand platform with owned brands distributed through department stores and specialty retail.
• Iconix Brand Group: Iconix Brand Group is a brand management company that owns and licenses a portfolio of consumer brands including Candie's, Joe Boxer, and Rampage. Closely comparable to PEI's brand licensing and royalty revenue model across mid-tier apparel and accessories.
• Centric Brands: Centric Brands designs, sources, and distributes apparel and accessories under owned brands and licenses including Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, and Under Armour. Closely mirrors PEI's licensing-heavy business model across department store and specialty retail channels.

Broad incumbents

• Hanesbrands: Hanesbrands is a large-scale apparel manufacturer and marketer of innerwear, activewear, and hosiery under brands including Hanes, Champion, and Bonds. Broader incumbent in apparel manufacturing, comparable in scale and multi-brand portfolio but focused on basics rather than fashion-forward apparel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PerryEllis
• Facebookfacebook.com/PerryEllis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/perry-ellis-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/peicorp

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Perry Ellis International