Successful product lifecycle management (PLM) implementation helps Classic American luxury sportswear brand streamline product design and development

CAMPBELL, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — August 2, 2016 — American fashion design firm Derek Lam International LLC, known for its luxury and contemporary women’s clothing, shoes and accessories, has announced a successful Centric SMB PLM implementation. Centric SMB is a cloud-based PLM solution available on a subscription basis (SaaS) and is tailored for emerging businesses to help them speed product development, improve costs and increase market responsiveness.

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Derek Lam, whose brands are Derek Lam and Derek Lam 10 Crosby, is a leading New York fashion designer known for his modern approach of blending minimalist designs with a calculated simplicity and a touch of thoughtful detailing. Runway collections, which reflect classic American sportswear with a modern sensibility, are highly acclaimed for their distinctive take on luxury.

With demand quickly growing, Derek Lam International knew they needed to implement an efficient design and development process. The firm’s future growth would require a modern, centralized PLM system that is rich in functionality and easy to use. They would also need to simplify collaboration between their internal teams.

Derek Lam International’s prior system had functionality limitations and therefore was not adopted by users as extensively as the company envisioned. After conducting extensive research of PLM solutions, the company chose to switch to Centric SMB.

“The challenge was finding the right balance between creativity and structure,” says David Meir Sasson, Chief Operating Officer of Derek Lam International. “We had heard that Centric was used by best-in-class fashion companies to grow business and streamline production from concept to store shelf. And when we saw the solution, we knew it would be a fit for our brand.”

Sasson said one of the key benefits of Centric is how it facilitates communication. “Now all of our departments – Design, Marketing, Development, Production, Finance and Sales – will have access to the same information. Better communication promotes a natural workflow and will improve collaboration between our teams. Best of all, by reducing the amount of administrative work required, our designers will now be able to focus solely on creativity, which is crucial for our brand.”

“We view Centric as a partner that really understands fashion and one that can support our business as we continue to scale,” he adds.

“We’re delighted to partner with Derek Lam International,” says Chris Groves, CEO of Centric. “Implementing the right PLM tool, one that is as innovative and dynamic as the Derek Lam brand itself, is a significant step in the design company’s evolution. We look forward to supporting Derek Lam International as it achieves new heights in the fashion industry.”

Derek Lam International, LLC ( www.dereklam.com)

Derek Lam was founded in New York City, in 2003, by Derek Lam, Designer, and Jan-Hendrik Schlottmann, CEO. Derek Lam 10 Crosby was launched in 2011. Derek is from San Francisco, California and attended Parsons School of Design.

The Company creates luxury products with a modern sensibility, known for its calculated simplicity and thoughtful detailing. The collections include women's clothing, shoes, handbags and eyewear.

Derek is an award-winning CFDA designer and member. The work has been exhibited at the Museum of FIT, Kennedy Center and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Centric Software, Inc. ( www.centricsoftware.com)

From its headquarters in Silicon Valley and offices in capitals around the world, Centric Software develops technologies for the most prestigious names in fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor, footwear and consumer goods.

Its flagship product lifecycle management (PLM) platform, Centric 8, delivers enterprise-class promotional planning, product development, sourcing, business planning, quality and collection management functionality, tailored to fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB, a cloud based SaaS solution, packages provide emerging businesses with extensive PLM solutions, based on innovative technology and key industry learnings.

Centric Software has received multiple industry awards, including the Frost & Sullivan Global Product Differentiation Excellence Award in Retail, Fashion and Apparel PLM. Red Herring named Centric in its Top 100 Global list in 2013 and 2015.

Centric is a registered trademark of Centric Software. All other product names and brands may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Contact:

Centric Software
Americas:
Centric Software
Jennifer Forsythe, Email Contact
or
Europe:
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Maria Teresa Rubino, +39 389 457 3163
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Asia:
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Emilie Gao, +86 186 1651 9769
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Derek Lam
KCD, Lauren Paris, 212-590-5145
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