Press Release
June 11, 2001
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- St. John Knits, a leading purveyor of elegantly tailored women's apparel, has become the first
luxury retail tenant at the new Four Seasons Hotel and Residences. The announcement was made by Christopher M.
Jeffries, principal and founding partner of Millennium Partners, developers of the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences,
scheduled to open in September of this year.
The 10,350-square-foot store, with a projected opening date of Spring 2002, will occupy two levels with ground-floor
access from both the Market Street and Stevenson Street sides of the hotel. St. John Knits International, Inc.,
known for revolutionary knitwear, is a leading brand for stylish, elegant and exceptionally tailored women's apparel.
``This is a wonderful fit for us,'' said Bob Gray, St. John Knits co-founder and chairman of the board. ``We are
very familiar with the Four Seasons brand and all that it represents. We know that the people who stay at the Four
Seasons are the people who shop at our stores.''
St. John Knits joins the growing list of high-end retailers moving into the ever-expanding Union Square/Grant Street/Post
Street -- and now Yerba Buena Gardens -- nexus, including recent and upcoming stores by Hermes, Prada, Frette,
Jil Sander, Kate Spade and Marc Jacobs.
``Except for our flagship store in Manhattan, the Four Seasons store will be the largest and most elegantly appointed
of the 23 establishments we currently operate,'' noted St. John Knits CEO Hugh Mullins. ``With the burgeoning growth
of high-end retail in the Union Square to mid-Market Street area, we felt very strongly that a dramatic presence
within the new Four Seasons provided the ideal affiliation for St. John Knits.''
Celebrated internationally for its revolutionary knitwear, the company, founded in 1962 by Gray and his wife, acclaimed
designer Marie Gray, has established itself as a premier lifestyle collection, providing a range of products that
includes daytime suits, business attire, evening ensembles, casual weekend sportswear, footwear, jewelry, eyewear,
fragrances and home products.
Cushman & Wakefield, Millennium Partners exclusive retail agent, was the sole real estate brokerage firm involved
in this long-term transaction. Headquartered in New York City, Millennium Partners is an international real estate
development firm that has pioneered the urban living and entertainment center concept, assembling some of the world's
leading hoteliers, retailers, sports and entertainment companies, and financial institutions to create intelligent,
large-scale urban developments that respond to a resurgent demand for dynamic city living. The company first achieved
prominence by forging the revitalization of the Lincoln Center area with the development of the Lincoln Square
Complex, one of Manhattan's newest and most successful shopping and residential locations. Millennium Partners
currently has nearly $3 billion of mixed-use real estate under development in Boston, New York, Miami, Washington,
D.C., Georgetown, and Atlanta. For more information, please access the Web site at www.millenniumptrs.com.
With a history spanning four decades and a portfolio that now extends to six continents, Four Seasons Hotels and
Resorts is the world's leading operator of luxury hotels, currently managing 51 properties in 23 countries. The
award-winning Canadian company has claimed first position on numerous honors lists, among them the AAA Five Diamond
awards (receiving more than other any hotel company for the 20th consecutive year), Zagat Survey 2001(ranking as
``Top Hotel Chain in the U.S.'' and ``Top Hotel Chain'' internationally), and leading publications and industry
awards around the globe. Information on the company and its 40 years of achievements in the hospitality industry
can be accessed through the Four Seasons Web site at www.fourseasons.com.
St. John Knits International, Inc., headquartered in Irvine, Calif., is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer
of women's clothing and accessories, sold principally under the St. John and St. John Sport by Marie Gray trade
names. In addition, the company's Retail Division operates 23 retail boutiques and 10 outlet stores. Through a
wholly-owned subsidiary, St. John Home, the company also operates three home furnishing stores. For more information
on St. John Knits International, Inc. visit the company's Web site at www.sjk.com.
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Contact:
Glodow Nead Communications
Jeff Nead or Sarah Wood, 415/447-1241