In a pretty major move, P. Diddy's successful men's clothing line, Sean John will now be carried exclusively at Macy's, macys.com and Sean John boutiques.
As the Sean John brand moves away from the urban market and into a more sophisticated league -- coinciding with Diddy's own maturation from rapper to 40-year-old mega mogul and father -- the Macy's deal marks a major turning point. The chain's flagships, including the New York stores, will build out store-in-store formats as part of the new conceptual men's floor called Impulse, whose other inhabitants include Ben Sherman, True Religion and Diesel.
The exclusive applies only to sportswear -- Combs' fragrance line will still sell at other major retailers. While Sean John becomes the latest in Macy's lucrative partnerships and should contribute healthy sales to the menswear category, the line will benefit from the added visibility provided by joint marketing efforts and prominence within Macy's stores. The best part is: Apparently Combs revealed at the press conference announcing the deal that his first job was at Macy's in New Rochelle, NY. Talk about full circle.
