CAND Candies (MM)

Badgley Mischka(R), a division of Candie's Inc., (NASDAQ: CAND) announced today a license agreement with Groupe JS International for a bridge apparel collection to launch for Spring 2006. The collection will be targeted to luxury and better department and specialty stores and will consist of evening gowns, cocktail dresses and separates priced from $500 to $1,500 retail. Neil Cole, CEO, Candie's, Inc. stated, "We think there is a tremendous opportunity to bring red carpet luxury and glamour to a broader audience of women. This collection will raise the bar for luxury and glamour at more accessible price points. The new showroom at 550 Seventh Avenue is exciting as it will unveil a new look and feel for the Badgley Mischka brand." According to Mitchell Hops, President and CEO, Groupe JS International, "Mark and James have dressed the most glamorous women in the world for over fifteen years and have become celebrities themselves. Their name has become synonymous with luxury and glamour to millions of women who have seen their gowns in the pages of fashion magazines and on television. This collection will bring their signature sense of elegance to a broader audience where we anticipate it will be enthusiastically embraced." Groupe JS has appointed Fran Ornstein as Vice President of Sales and Merchandising for the new division. Ornstein was formally at Chetta B for 22 years. Working with Mark Badgley and James Mischka as Design Director for the new collection will be Don O'Neill who joins the company from Carmen Marc Valvo where he worked for 10 years. Commenting on the new showroom at 550 Seventh Avenue, Hops added, "We felt that being in this building alongside the most prestigious names in the fashion industry was important. The new showroom will feature the couture collection as well as the new bridge line and a design studio for the designers and their team." Designers, Mark Badgley and James Mischka stated, "Adding the bridge collection serves two purposes. We are making the Couture collection more special, creating couture-level clothes that are available through specialized and exclusive ready-to-wear stores, which we began with the Fall 2005 season. The bridge collection lets us make Badgley Mischka's elegance and glamour available to a broader untapped market. JS Groupe has assembled an outstanding team that has passionately embraced this initiative and shares our vision." About Badgley Mischka Based in New York City, Badgley Mischka is known for its luxury evening wear sold through the most prestigious stores in the world, including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. Founded in 1988 by designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka, Badgley Mischka has been named one of the "Top 10 American Designers" by Vogue magazine, and has dressed numerous celebrities, including Kate Winslet, Madonna, Halle Berry, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker and Ashley Judd. Candie's, Inc. Candie's Inc. is in the business of licensing the CANDIE'S(R), BONGO(R) and BADGLEY MISCHKA(R) trademarks on a variety of footwear, apparel and fashion products. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Brightstar Footwear, Inc., the Company also arranges for the manufacture of footwear products for mass market and discount retailers under the private label brand of the retailer. For investor information please visit the corporate web site at www.candiesinc.com. About Groupe JS International Groupe JS International has been a dynamic presence on the North American fashion scene for over 30 years. Today, Groupe JS International has five strong divisions and is widely recognized as one of the leading suppliers of ladies' dress, sportswear and eveningwear available in specialty stores, major chain stores and department stores around the world. Operating out of its office in Montreal, Canada, and with offices in New York, Toronto and London, the privately held company is an innovative force in the global marketplace. More information is available at www.jsgroup.com.