Hickey Freeman will manufacture Polo Ralph Lauren’s “Blue Label” line of tailored suits and sport jackets at its factory in Rochester, New York, bringing to the USA work that had been done in Italy.
The deal
- Sen. Charles Schumer and Hickey Freeman officials announced the contract at the North Clinton Avenue factory on May 5, 2014. Work was expected to begin the following month.
- Stephen Granovsky, CEO of Toronto-based Grano Retail Holdings, which bought Hickey Freeman in 2013, said the deal was worth about $1 million. Schumer said it would raise Hickey Freeman’s revenue by at least 10%.
- Company officials said the move is part of Polo Ralph Lauren’s “Made in America” initiative to bring some production back to the USA. Granovsky said the brand was moving the work from Italy because of the preference shoppers have shown for products made in the USA.
- Granovsky said more contracts with major clothing labels would follow and could add up to 50 jobs over three years, bringing the plant to full employment of more than 400 workers.
No one from Ralph Lauren attended the announcement. In June 2014, Hickey Freeman announced a similar deal to make Dillard’s Daniel Cremieux Signature Collection suits and jackets in Rochester, work that also had been done in Italy.
Source & credit
Source: Democrat and Chronicle: “Hickey Freeman signs $1M Ralph Lauren deal”, May 5, 2014.
Additional sources: WXXI News: “Hickey Freeman To Make Ralph Lauren Line”, May 5, 2014; Democrat and Chronicle: “Hickey Freeman signs Dillard’s manufacturing deal”, June 12, 2014.