I just read a press release stating that Kahn Lucas (think Dollie & Me clothes) has acquired the Alexander Doll Company. The press release:

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Kahn Lucas Lancaster, Inc., a leading global designer and wholesaler of branded girls’ dresses and fashion collections, announced today that it has acquired all intellectual property and select assets of Alexander Doll Company, Inc., makers of the famed Madame Alexander play and collectible dolls. Kahn Lucas had been a long time licensing partner with Alexander Doll under Kahn Lucas’ award-winning Dollie & Me® brand of matching girl and doll apparel and related fashion accessories.

Howard Kahn, CEO of Kahn Lucas said: “I’m excited and honored to continue the Madame Alexander brand and to have its rich heritage join our company. The late Madame Beatrice Alexander founded her company almost 90 years ago on many of the same principles we have practiced at Kahn Lucas during our 123 years of family company history which include a spirit of opportunity and entrepreneurship, a dedication to empowering young girls, a commitment to innovation, and a passion for bringing great fashion design to the market.”

Mr. Kahn continued, “With this transaction, Kahn Lucas further builds on its unique skill sets within a core strategic platform of ‘Relationship Brands’ that use branded apparel, toys, and fashion accessories to promote an entire lifestyle experience for young girls based on imagination, open-ended play, and creativity.” In addition to the core Madame Alexander brands, the transaction included the experiential retail brands of Madame Alexander Doll Factory and Newborn Nursery as well as the entire portfolio of Middleton Doll brands. The company will also continue to work closely with all tiers of retailers and ecommerce partners in the United States and internationally that support and value the various Alexander Doll and Kahn Lucas brands as well as the Madame Alexander Doll Club.

Marketing Management Group (MMG) provided transaction advisory support to Kahn Lucas. Legal representation was provided by Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. and Ropes & Gray LLP.

The terms of the transaction are not planned to be released.

About Kahn Lucas® (www.kahnlucas.com)

Kahn Lucas was founded in 1889 and still operates in Lancaster County, PA, along with design, product development, sales, and fashion showrooms in New York City. Kahn Lucas is a privately held 4^th generation family led company focused on age-appropriate girls’ fashions for sizes newborn to 16 that are sold across all tiers of retail distribution and ecommerce. The company operates under several channel-specific brands, including fashion doll brands What A Doll® and Dollie & Me®, which was awarded the Oppenheim Platinum Toy Award for Excellence, as well as the girls’ apparel brands Youngland®, Sweet Heart Rose®, and Emily West®. The company has been awarded Supplier of the Year by JCPenney, Sears, Toys R Us, and Babies R Us and Supplier of Excellence by WalMart.

About Alexander Doll (www.alexanderdoll.com)

Alexander Doll was founded in 1923 by Madame Beatrice Alexander. Alexander Doll products are focused primarily on collectible, fashion, baby, and play dolls and related accessories, including brands such as Madame Alexander™, Cissy®, and Favorites Friends™, as well as various branded collections of play and collectible dolls. Alexander Doll also licenses and produces dolls and related accessories under brands that include Disney®, The Wizard of Oz™, Gone with the Wind™, Fancy Nancy™, Pinkalicious®, Angelina Ballerina™, Eloise®, American Ballet Theatre®, favorite Broadway musicals like Wicked™, classic storybook favorites, as well as the Middleton Doll™ and Newborn Nursery™ brands (www.leemiddleton.com). The Madame Alexander trademark is also co-branded and licensed in various national programs with select retailers. Through the years, Madame Alexander has been responsible for a series of doll industry “firsts” that have shaped the doll world and defined it as a pioneer of style and quality.

This should be interesting to see what direction Kahn Lucas takes the company.