George Feldenkreis
Category: Entrepreneurs
Company: Perry Ellis International
Industry: Fashion
What Made Him Haute: Feldenkreis left Cuba after Castro came into power and arrived in the United States with $700 in his pocket. He found success as an importer, which led to the founding of Supreme International in the late 1960s. The company began by importing guayabera shirts but grew exponentially over the decades and went public in 1993. In the late ’90s, the company purchased the rights to Perry Ellis, and today, Supreme International is but one division of the international company that also includes Nike swimwear, Tommy Hilfiger ladies swimwear, and PING collection, among other brands. Feldenkreis, who is the CEO of the Miami-based Perry Ellis brand, also founded the Universal National Bank of Miami and is highly involved in many community institutions and programs.
What Makes Him Haute Now: The entrepreneur recently entered into a license agreement with a sector of Eyewear Designs Ltd. to design and make Cubavera brand eyewear. Feldenkreis expressed he was “excited about the agreement’s potential and adding a new product category to the company’s line-up.” The line will include it all: reading glasses for both men and women, prescription frames and sunglasses, and non-prescription sunglasses. Because Feldenkreis has chosen Eyewear Designs Ltd. to work with, the line is sure to be on every Haute Living reader’s wish list; the company is recognized for having the most sophisticated designer eyewear brands. What is special about the collection is that the Cubavera line will strive to portray a modern design, with architectural and embroidery details similar to the company’s apparel and fascination with the Cuban heritage. The line will be sold in specialty and department stores and is set to make its debut in the Fall 2010 season.
Feldenkreis also announced that Perry Ellis International has made an agreement with Beluga Inc. to design and produce apparel for infants through boys’ size 20. The lucrative business deal will be sold under the Gotcha brand name.
