Women the world over know ESCADA for its bright fabrics, elaborate stitching, hand-beaded work, and tailored looks. The firm designs and sells upscale women's apparel (including evening wear, casual wear, and shoes), accessories, and fragrances in about 410 company-owned and franchised stores in some 60 countries. Apparel, handbags, shoes, and belts are designed in-house; eyewear, jewelry, watches, and scarves are licensed. It sold its Escada Beaut cosmetics division to Wella AG but remains a licensee. Unable to secure financing amid falling sales and earnings, the company in August 2009 filed for bankruptcy protection and is being sold.

Yak Pak was founded in 1996 by company president Stephen Holt; its first major product, the D-Jay bag, was made specifically for DJs to hold their music. Yak Pak company manufactures utilitarian (yet trendy) bags, backpacks, duffel bags, totes, and related accessories that are sold through specialty retailers nationwide (including Pacific Sunwear and Urban Outfitters), as well as online and through a retail store located in San Franciso. Under an exclusive licensing agreement, Yak Pak also designs, makes, and distributes bags under the Dickies brand.

Founded in 1968, the furniture maker is owned by Royal Cameron Corp. Royal Seating's sister companies include Texwood (library furniture manufacturer), Uscapes (higher education furnishings maker), and Spotlight Seating (makes auditorium furnishings). Royal Seating wants to keep students from developing a royal pain. It manufactures classroom furnishings, including students' desks, stackable and rolling chairs, activity tables, storage carts, and computer workstations. The company sells its products through an international dealer network. Its offices, factories, and warehouses are located in Cameron, Texas.

Anthony for Men is a manufacturer and marketer of men's skin care and bath and body products. The firm's products are natural and allergy-tested and include Action, Anthony Logistics for Men, and Anthony Sport for Men face, shaving, body, and hair care items. The line is available in almost 2,000 stores, including Sephora and Nordstrom, in some 25 countries, and online. Products include glycerin cleansing bars, facial scrubs, body sprays, astringent, lip balm, razor burn repair, algae facial cleanser, alcohol-free deodorant, mud scrub exfoliating bar, and hair gel. The company also makes a Little Men line of hair and body wash for babies. A percentage of proceeds is donated to prostate cancer charities.

Polo Ralph Lauren is galloping at a faster clip than when founder Ralph Lauren first entered the arena 40 years ago. With golden mallet brands such as Polo by Ralph Lauren, RRL, Rugby, and Club Monaco, the firm designs and markets apparel and accessories, home furnishings, and fragrances. Its collections are available at some 10,800 locations worldwide, including many upscale and mid-tier department stores. (Macy's and Dillard's account for more than a third of all wholesale revenue.) The company also operates about 315 Ralph Lauren, Club Monaco, and Rugby retail stores worldwide as well as the e-commerce sites RalphLauren.com and Polo.com. American style icon and CEO Lauren controls the company.

Previously owned by Prada and Change Capital Partners (CCP), the minimalist fashion house is owned by GIBO, the European unit of Japanese apparel group Onward Holdings. GIBO acquired the company in 2008. Belgian fashion designer Raf Simons now fills Jil Sander's shoes as creative director. The company sells women's and men's apparel, as well as accessories, footwear, jewelry, eyewear, and fragrances. Established in 1978, it also operates about a dozen stores, in addition to 50 franchised locations worldwide, and sells its products in such high-end shops as Bergdorf Goodman and Barney's.

Estee Lauder's reach to the UK some 40 years ago has benefited even the most striking European beauties. Estee Lauder Cosmetics develops makeup, skin care, and fragrance products, such as Estee, Beautiful, White Linen, and Knowing. Its operations span major and niche cosmetics markets in the UK. Since the 1960s Estee Lauder's products have made their way into department stores throughout the UK and Ireland. The firm's distribution operations are based in Hampshire. The company's products are sold at a number of stores including Boots the Chemists, Harrods, Selfridges, Pure Beauty Store, Debenhams, and House of Fraser.

Wm. Sugdens makes wearing a uniform a uniform process. Having started out in 1869 as a tailoring operation with a single sewing machine, the company through its subsidiary, ThreadNeedle, provides its customers with a complete range of clothing (accommodating any size) for their employees. Products that are available range from shoes and hats, shirts and skirts, tailored suits and knitwear, to protective clothing. The company consults with each customer and provides a complete service on a turnkey basis, from conception to delivery. Customers can transmit orders online and create their own catalogs. Wm. Sugdens & Sons is a subsidiary of The Wakefield Shirt Group.

Founded in 1988, Yue Yuen is majority owned by Taiwanese athletic material maker Pou Chen. The firm spun off its retail unit, Pou Sheng International (Holdings), in an initial public offering in 2008. Chinese cobbler Yue Yuen Industrial has some mighty big shoe orders to fill. The world's largest manufacturer of branded footwear turns out shoes for the biggest names in sports: adidas, ASICS, New Balance, Nike, Puma, Reebok, and Timberland. Its manufacturing centers are located in China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. In addition to these, the company operates about 2,100 athletic footwear and apparel stores directly or through subsidiaries, as well as about 2,600 stores under joint ventures.

The Female Health Company (FHC), maker of condoms for women. The polyurethane female condom is the only female contraceptive that is FDA-approved for preventing both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The firm's condoms are sold in more than 115 countries worldwide (under the FC and FC2 names), including South Africa, Brazil, the US, the UK, and Zimbabwe. Outside the US, many of its products bear the Femidom name, among others. FHC also provides low-cost female condoms in Africa through an agreement with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). It sponsors the Female Health Foundation, which provides women with health education.

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