Perilman Joins Denim Label
Sometimes cutthroat competition can turn into cutting-edge business partnerships.
For 20 years, George Rudes and Ron Perilman were womenswear manufacturers who battled mano a mano for key store accounts.
Rudes’ St. Germain label often butted heads with Perilman’s City Girl by Nancy Bolen label when trying to find clients.
Then things changed. Two years ago, Rudes ventured in a new direction with Not Your Daughter’s Jeans and Tummy Tuck, two growing blue-jeans labels for the misses market.
A few months ago, Perilman sold his company to a Texas entity and began representing an overseas fabric mill. Approaching Rudes about buying denim, Perilman got to know his long-time nemesis. Before you know it, they found they had a lot in common and became goods friends.
That friendship led to Perilman recently being named executive vice president of S.L.L. Inc., the parent company of the blue-jeans labels.
“George and I were competitors for 20 years. And for me to work for him is the irony of ironies,” said Perilman, who started his new job on Nov. 3.
Perilman will be in charge of managing and expanding growth in the specialty-store category, which now makes up 20 percent of S.L.L.’s $40 million in revenues. Eighty percent of S.L.L.’s business is with major department stores such as Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, where the blue jeans retail for $78–$90.
Meanwhile, Rudes recently bought a 20 percent interest in nephew Jeff Rudes’ bluejean company called J Brand for $6 million, buying out businessman Ken Choi. —Deborah Belgum
