ANDREW MARC
Those familiar with fine leather outerwear will know Andrew Marc well. Andrew Marc handbags feature the same care and attention to detail that has been put into all Andrew Marc leather products.
While the fashion industry has heralded its major designers for many centuries, the emphasis has been on names that design a whole host of apparel and accessories. Rarely is an individual who is associated with one basic material singled out for special attention. However, emerging from the leather industry, ANDREW MARC is the rare exception.
ANDREW MARC has achieved fame through the exclusive design of leather apparel for men and women. Although most shoppers merely look for a particular leather style or quality, few ask for a specific designer name, except for that of ANDREW MARC.
In 1981, the ANDREW MARC label rose into prominence as a subsidiary of the company founded by Fred Schwartz, the famous chairman of the Fur Vault, and uncle of Andrew Marc Schwartz. Fresh out of college, Andrew recognized that men of the time were beginning to have a greater consciousness in regards to fashion, and were seeking out personal luxury and opulence. He thus conceived the fur lined leather bomber jacket; made of the most supple lambskin outer-shell, lined with fur pelts from his uncle’s business. That bomber quickly became the industry's leading seller, and remains to this day a cornerstone of the collection. .
Soon thereafter the collection evolved into a diversified leather and cloth outerwear company, renowned for its reconciliation of quality, design, and accessibility. ANDREW MARC currently has an expansive offering of outerwear including luxurious skins, sumptuous shearlings, a variety of wool, cashmere knits and wovens, high-tech nylons, insular downs, and even some of the most technologically advanced performance fabrics.
For more than twenty years the company has been owned and operated by Andrew and Suzanne who bring a well honed balance of skills and expertise, sharpened by their more than two decades together. A very familial atmosphere reigns, and they take a very personal and hands-on approach to every aspect of the day to day functioning of the company: from design to distribution. ANDREW MARC has undoubtedly become one of the leading leather and outerwear companies in the United States.
In 2005, ANDREW MARC entered into a partnership with Gordon Brothers as a means to expand and diversify its product offerings. Andrew and Suzanne continue to be an integral part of the company and its development, and their commitment to bring to the public a superior quality product with unsurpassed craftsmanship, but always remaining accessible, remains intact – in every category!
With such a keen and complete sensibility to the lifestyle it has created, it is no wonder that ANDREW MARC has established an impeccable reputation with both retailers and consumers, as witnessed through its steadfast and consistent growth. The launch of our new Women’s and Men’s Handbag lines for Fall ’06 is highly synonymous with this.
As we approach our 25th year anniversary there could not have been a more appropriate time to launch handbags. The handbag collection is clearly an extension of the leather outerwear ANDREW MARC is so well known for-soft skins, stitch details and branded hardware all define the new collection.
“We are doing well with the core business and feel it’s at a point where we can take the next step,” said Suzanne Schwartz, senior vice president of ANDREW MARC. “The handbag area is huge right now and there is a lot of interest in the category from the customers we already sell to. It’s also a category that seems like a natural fit for the brand. Leather is our heritage.”
ANDREW MARC’s success and staying power are clear illustrations of its creative vision and highest-quality craftsmanship.