Marc Jacobs expands menswear business (!)

Photo: Getty Images

In the wet-your-pants news category, it was announced over the weekend that Marc Jacobs signed an exclusive worldwide license with Staff International, a unit of Renzo Rosso's Only The Brave holding company, for the production and distribution of Marc Jacobs men's wear collections.

The partnership will commence with the spring/summer 2010 collections and include ready-to-wear and denim under Marc Jacobs' label. If all goes well -- and we're pretty sure it will -- the five-year contract has an option to renew.

For all of us who feel like our cravings for Marc are only marginally satiated by his limited menswear roll outs, the news of expansion is like Christmas-come-early. His menswear lines are known for their updated classics like cardigans, polos, plaid shirts and tees, all with that Marc Jacobs twist we've come to look forward to and love. And his forays into suiting produce some of the most tailored and beautiful pieces on the market that have inspired dedicated fan followings from the U.S. to Japan.

It's Jacobs' ability to not only consistently produce fantastic clothing, but inject that consistency with just the right elements of surprise that keeps us coming back for more ... and more and more and more.

Acquiring Marc Jacobs could be the icing on the cake for Renzo Rosso's already expansive empire of labels, which includes DSquared, Vivienne Westwood, Viktor & Rolf, Maison Martin Margiela and, of course, Diesel, which Rosso founded. And given the success of everything he controls, MJ should have nothing to worry about with his menswear being housed at Staff, which has offices in Milan, Paris, Tokyo and New York. Could the team up of Marc Jacobs and Renzo Rosso be the makings of the next fashion powerhouse? Keep a vigilant eye, Louis Vuitton...

via DNR

-- SETH PLATTNER