The group brainstorming led to a deal with Liz Claiborne, the former sportswear powerhouse that bought a 50-percent stake in the label from Rodriguez's original Italian backer Aeffe.
Collaborations in recent years with avant-garde designers such as Bernhard Willhelm and Damir Doma, as well as a more recent partnership with luxury French winter sportswearlabel Moncler, have helped to cement the label's reputation in the fashion world.