Posted: May 3, 2012

NEW YORK — Sandow Media announces its recent acquisition of the worldwide rights to the iconic Fred Segal brand. For more than 50 years, Santa Monica-based Fred Segal has been the arbiter of cool.

The acquisition includes the rights to all intellectual property, the development of a new e-commerce platform for fredsegal.com, new retail stores worldwide and the development of Fred Segal branded apparel and products.

Founded in 1961, the iconic retailer is rooted in Hollywood culture and is the style destination for everyone from celebrities and rock stars to royalty and locals alike. Fred Segal is famously known for discovering and launching some of the hottest brands in beauty and apparel.

“Over the past 50 years, we have turned down multiple offers, never willing to risk our brand integrity, but after meeting Adam Sandow and discovering his passion for innovation and vision for Fred Segal, the decision was clear. We are excited to watch his team grow our beloved brand to new heights,” says Michael Segal.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity to continue building such a powerful brand with over five decades of heritage that has always remained authentic. Fred had a clear vision, which Michael built upon as he shepherded the brand, staying committed to his father’s core mission. My company is privileged to be entrusted with this legacy and will continue the Segal family’s vision as we expand the brand globally,” says chairman and CEO Adam I. Sandow.

An innovative multi-platform company, Sandow engages with highly coveted audiences through its media, experiential and service platforms. Leveraging its global footprint and strong resources, Sandow’s design management agency, Culture + Commerce, led by president Michele Caniato, will manage all licensing deals for Fred Segal globally. “We have already begun working with potential partners around the world to open new stores and develop unique Fred Segal branded products that reinforce its image as a style trendsetter,” says Caniato. “Culture + Commerce are innovators, bringing together big business with top talent. Ten years ago we started a design revolution by bringing Philippe Starck to Target and have since developed and negotiated high profile design projects for some of the world’s leading designers and businesses such as PUMA, MAC, SLS Hotels, Tumi, Yves Behar, Kravitz Design (the design company of Lenny Kravitz) and Marcel Wanders to name a few—we couldn’t be more excited for what lies ahead for Fred Segal.”

In preparation for this deal, Sandow has established another West Coast office headed by Dan Levin, VP of Culture + Commerce, who recently joined the team from licensing giant Beanstalk.

For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact Susan Towers, VP Marketing & Communications at Culture + Commerce at  212.842.1509 or at stowers@culturecommerce.com.

About Sandow Media   Founded by Adam I. Sandow in 2002, Sandow Media (sandow.com) is a leader in building vertically integrated brands. Sandow is an innovative multi-platform company that creates content, events and services that inform, inspire and engage highly coveted consumer and business audiences. The company is comprised of design, beauty, luxury and business information units, which empower the brands to strategically cross-pollinate, creating unique business platforms. With more than 400 employees in 13 global offices, Sandow brands include Culture + Commerce, Curator, Furniture Today Group, Gen Art, Interior Design, Luxe Interiors + Design, Material ConneXion, NewBeauty, Spalook.com, Surface, Watch Journal, Wonder and Worth.

About Fred Segal

For more than 50 years and three generations, Fred Segal has been an iconic shopping destination known internationally for curating the hippest merchandise and introducing the world to powerhouse cosmetic and fashion brands. From its early days as the pioneer of designer jeans to its current status as an emporium for leading and emerging designers, this one-of-a-kind store has maintained an international following and become a pop culture retail icon. With locations in Santa Monica and West Hollywood, Fred Segal is synonymous with LA style and casual chic, attracting celebrities and locals alike with its unique array of shop-in-shop boutiques, which offer a highly curated selection of merchandise that varies from designer shoes and bags, to jeans and tees. An award-winning salon, hip yoga studio, eccentric and classic jewelry, cutting-edge beauty selection and restaurants create a distinctive mix of boutiques that fall under the iconic red, white and blue stripes and ivy-colored walls of Fred Segal.

About Culture + Commerce

Based in New York, Culture + Commerce (culturecommerce.com), a Sandow company, is a strategic design consultancy company that develops high potential design opportunities for global brands and international designers. Built on the belief that “good design is good business,” Culture + Commerce helps companies leverage design as a critical strategic platform for launching products and services, differentiating brands, generating revenues and delivering profits. As the premier design management agency in the U.S., Culture + Commerce represents some of the world’s leading designers including Dror Benshetrit, Yves Behar, Jason Castriota, Milton Glaser, Sami Hayek, Piero Lissoni, Paola Navone, Matthew Rolston, Philippe Starck, Kravitz Design and Marcel Wanders. Culture + Commerce has developed profitable projects in a wide range of industries—from consumer products and housewares to furniture and hospitality—for companies such as Microsoft, PUMA, Target, MAC, Rosenthal, Alessi, Cappellini, Poltrona Frau, SBE Entertainment Group, Tumi and the Morgans Hotel Group, among others. The company also provides marketing and communication support for both the projects it develops, and to individual clients on an ongoing and project basis. Culture + Commerce has proudly represented COSMIT, organizers of the Italian trade shows known as I Saloni, in the U.S. for more than 15 years.