Rafaella, or Rafaella Sportswear, is a women's clothing brand owned by the publicly held international clothing company

Perry Ellis International Perry Ellis International is an American clothing, fashion, cosmetics and beauty company that includes a portfolio of brands distributed through multiple channels worldwide. The company focuses primarily on sportswear and casual clothing for nic ...

. Originally created by Rafaella Apparel Group, the brand changed ownership to

Cerberus Capital Management Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. is an American global alternative investment firm with assets across credit, private equity, and real estate strategies.Leaders Magazine"Providing Economic Opportunity: An Interview with The Honorable Dan Qua ...

before being bought and expanded by Perry Ellis.

History

The Rafaella

brand name A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...

was established under the company Rafaella Apparel Group, Inc. in 1982 in

New York City, New York New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harb ...

to suit the clothing needs of working women in the

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

. The Rafaella brand became quickly gained popularity among professional women because of the quality the brand offered. Additionally, Rafaella was among the first women's dress clothing lines to offer its pants styles across a wide range of pant fits. Rafaella's offering of "Modern," "Classic," and "Curvy," fit types has been mirrored by other clothing companies, including Levi Strauss & Co. In pioneering the sales technique of offering the same style in multiple female body types, Rafaella was able to win market share over its competitors, solidifying the company's success toward the end of the 20th Century. The brand has been featured in several issues of

O, The Oprah Magazine ''O, The Oprah Magazine'', also known simply as ''O'', is an American monthly magazine founded by talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Hearst Communications. In 2021, Winfrey and Hearst rebranded it as ''Oprah Daily''. Overview It was first pu ...

and on the

Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...

and has been the subject of fashion editorials and reviews for its women's dress pants, dress shirts, dresses, and swim/sportswear.

Management Changes and Expansion

Rafaella Apparel Group was bought by Cerberus Capital Management and was later sold in January 2011 to its current owner, Perry Ellis International for $70 million

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. Perry Ellis International expanded the brand, continuing its dresswear line while broadening its focus on dresses and sportswear. Under Perry Ellis, the brand's new looks gained positive reviews In July 2012 fashion executive Denise Miller was instated as the President of Rafaella in order to further expand that vision. Miller previously worked for

Kellwood Company Kellwood Apparel is an American apparel manufacturer. Founded in 1961, Kellwood's portfolio of Women's, Juniors, and Girls' apparel includes Parker, Devlin, Briggs NY, Democracy, Jax, Rewind, My Michelle, and licensed brands. Kellwood became an af ...

as well as G-III Apparel, Ltd., where she was the President of

Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer. In 1968, he launched the company that later became Calvin Klein. In addition to clothing, he has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewellery. ...

suits and suit separates. Another major management change was subsequently made in 2013 when Karol Rosa, model and co-host of Sabado Gigante, was hired as the Brand Ambassador for Rafaella. Despite the ownership and management changes, the company remains headquartered in New York City.

References

{{reflist * * * * Perry Ellis International brands Clothing brands of the United States