Oxford Industries, Inc. Press Release

222 Piedmont Avenue, N.E. • Atlanta, Georgia 30308

CONTACT:
J. Reese Lanier, Jr.
Telephone: (404) 653-1446
Fax: (404) 653-1545
E-Mail: rlanier@oxfordinc.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — April 21, 2005

 

Oxford Industries Signs Strategic Partnership Agreement 

with Rampion Enterprises, LTD  to Distribute

Oxford Golf® Collection in Canada

ATLANTA, GA. – Oxford Industries, Inc. (NYSE:OXM) announced today it has entered into an exclusive long-term distribution and licensing arrangement with Rampion Enterprises, Ltd to market and distribute the Oxford Golf apparel collection to the green grass market in Canada.

A ten-member sales team reporting to Dan Dodman, VP Sales and Marketing, will preview the Spring 2006 golf collection and will begin to sell the product offering to the green grass and golf specialty trade in July, 2005.   Product deliveries will commence in March, 2006 from Rampion’s new 30,000 square foot headquarters and distribution center currently under construction in Richmond, British Columbia. 

Oxford Industries has over sixty years of experience in the apparel industry including ten years in the golf apparel business.  Oxford Industries holds the license for Tommy Hilfiger Golf and launched the Oxford Golf Collection in Spring, 2004.  The product offering has experienced great success, capturing immediate placement in 2,000 of the most prestigious golf clubs and resorts in the United States.  The Oxford Golf collection was inspired by the rich heritage of the game and focuses on traditional, authentic golf apparel with an approach to build the classification business.  “We feel this partnership with Rampion is the perfect fit,” commented Dave Leveille, President of Oxford Golf.  “Rampion is one of the most professionally run businesses in the golf industry and we feel confident in their ability to develop both distribution and the overall Oxford Golf brand in the Canadian market.  We have had great success with Oxford Golf since the initial launch in the U.S. and I am certain we will have the same level of success in Canada.  We are excited by the prospect of developing an international tier for the Oxford Golf label.”   

With over 25 years of successful brand development in the Canadian golf industry, Rampion president Dave Williams is confident that the Oxford Golf apparel brand is ideally suited to the Canadian market. “The Canadian golf consumer is very discriminating when it comes to golf apparel,” commented Williams. “They have an appetite for up market, classic, colorful golf apparel, but they have a keen appreciation for quality and value. I think the Oxford Golf apparel brand provides all these important elements and will find a strong and immediate following in the Canadian golf market. From a sales and marketing stand point, Oxford Golf is an ideal apparel brand fit for the account base through which we currently market.”

 

Oxford Industries, Inc. is a producer and marketer of branded and private label apparel for men, women and children.  Oxford provides retailers and consumers with a wide variety of apparel products and services to suit their individual needs.  Oxford’s brands include Tommy Bahama®, Indigo Palms®, Island Soft®, Ben Sherman®, Ely & Walker® and Oxford Golf®.  The Company also holds exclusive licenses to produce and sell certain product categories under the Tommy Hilfiger®, Nautica®, Geoffrey Beene®, Slates®, Dockers® and Oscar de la Renta® labels.  Oxford's customers are found in every major channel of distribution including national chains, specialty catalogs, mass merchants, department stores, specialty stores and Internet retailers. 

Oxford’s stock has traded on the NYSE since 1964 under the symbol OXM.  For more information, please visit our website at www.oxfordinc.com. 

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995  

The matters in this press release that are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements about our expected business outlook, anticipated financial and operating results, the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of the Tommy Bahama Group and Ben Sherman , growth of particular product lines, strategies, contingencies, financing plans, working capital needs, sources of liquidity, estimated amounts and timing of capital expenditures and other expenditures, are based on current management expectations that involve certain risks which if realized, in whole or in part, could have a material adverse effect on Oxford’s business, financial condition and results of operations, including, without limitation: (1) general economic cycles; (2) competitive conditions in our industry; (3) price deflation in the worldwide apparel industry; (4) our ability to identify and respond to rapidly changing fashion trends and to offer innovative and upgraded products; (5) changes in trade quotas or other trade regulations, including “safeguard” quotas; (6) our ability to continue to finance our working capital and growth on acceptable terms; (7) significant changes in weather patterns (e.g., an unseasonably warm autumn) or natural disasters such as hurricanes, fires or flooding; (8) the price and availability of raw materials; (9) our dependence on and relationships with key customers; (10) the ability of our third party producers to deliver quality products in a timely manner; (11) potential disruptions in the operation of our distribution facilities; (12) any disruption or failure of our computer systems or data network; (13) the integration of Ben Sherman into our company; (14) our ability to successfully implement our growth plans for the acquired businesses; (15) unforeseen liabilities associated with our acquisitions of the Tommy Bahama Group and Ben Sherman; (16) economic and political conditions in the foreign countries in which we operate or source our products; (17) increased competition from direct sourcing; (18) our ability to maintain our licenses; (19) our ability to protect our intellectual property and prevent our trademarks, service marks and goodwill from being harmed by competitors’ products; (20) our reliance on key management; (21) risks associated with changes in global currency exchange rates; (22) changes in interest rates on our variable rate debt;(23) the impact of labor disputes and wars or acts of terrorism on our business; (24) the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures related to financial reporting; (25) our inability to retain current pricing on our products due to competitive or other factors; (26) the expansion of our business through the acquisition of new businesses; and (27) our ability to open new retail stores.

 For a further discussion of significant factors to consider in connection with forward-looking statements concerning Oxford, reference is made to Oxford’s Form S-3 dated September 24, 2004; other risks or uncertainties may be detailed from time to time in Oxford’s future SEC filings. Oxford disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements.