GBMI signs Sean John license

Fashion footwear specialist Global Brand Marketing Inc has inked a licensing agreement with US sportswear brand Sean John. GMBI will exclusively design, develop, manufacture and globally distribute the label's footwear for men, women and children. The new summer 2008 collection, which will include dressy, casual and athletic styles, will be introduced in New York in June.

"We launched a capsule collection of footwear, the Sean John Elites, in the Fall of 2005, and it was an instant success," says Sean 'P Diddy' Combs, the rapper turned fashion mogul. "With this new partnership, we will be able to dramatically increase our offerings and distribution. We look forward to working with GBMI as we believe they are the industry leader in both design and distribution."

GBMI, founded in 1996 by Killick Datta, is also the global footwear licensee of Nautica, 7 For All Mankind, and Mecca and Diesel. A spokeswoman for the company revealed that development of the collection has already begun and added that details of the agreement would be announced at the fashion trade show Bread & Butter in Barcelona next week.