fossil brand history

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Fossil Brand History

How Is All Started

Fossil was founded in 1984 as Overseas Products International and the second business effort by Tom Kartsotis.Kartsotis operated a ticket brokerage business in his early twenties that gave him fame and wealth but wantedsomething new after a few years. His brother Kosta suggested Tom to import fashion watches for a reasonable price,made in the far east. Tom withdrew his savings and sold half of the ticket brokerage business to start his new

enterprise. He flew to Hong Kong and hired a manufacturer to produce 1.500 watches and sold them in the UnitedStates to stores and boutiques. A new company, Overseas Products International, was born.

Later On

At age 24, Kartsotis hired Lynne Stafford (who later became his wife) as designer and created the "retro"design style that made the company grow in the 1980s and 1990s. They were inspired by nostalgicadvertisements in fashion magazines of the 1930s 1950s for designing new watches which became a hugesuccess. In 1987 the company became Fossil. Inc. and in 1989 they began to package their watches in tin andwooden boxes which made the nostalgic look of Fossil watches stronger.

More Fossil

In 1990 the company expanded their product line with leather goods, sunglasses and jewelry and went internationaland they became one of the most populair watch brands worldwide.

The Heart And Soul of Fossil

The heart and soul of the FOSSIL brandits people, products and cultureis about a unique kind of inspired

creativity. Representing the concept of accessible cool, Fossil's identity is anchored in vintage authentic style mixed

with a creative spirit and a sense of humour that extends into all its product offerings, graphics and one-of-a-kind,

trademark collectible tins. Fossil creates modern yet vintage products for everyone, a simple yet compelling idea

reflected in the Company's tagline, Long Live Vintage.

Founded in 1984, Fossil was the first American brand to bring value and style to the watch category transforming the

concept of timekeeping from the merely functional to chic and stylish must-haves for the wrist. Since then, Fossil has

always been in the avant-garde, whether in terms of technology, the choice of materials or design. Fossil offers an

extensive line of watches under its proprietary FOSSIL, RELIC, MW, MW MICHELE, MOBILEWEAR and

ZODIAC brands and, pursuant to license agreements, under some of the most prestigious brands in the world,

including ADIDAS, BURBERRY, CALLAWAY GOLF, COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR, DIESEL, DKNY,

EMPORIO ARMANI, MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS and MARC by MARC JACOBS. In the early 1990's, Fossil

expanded its core business, launching a line of accessory products including handbags, belts, small leather goods

and sunglasses under the FOSSIL and RELIC brands. The Company also owns or licenses proprietary technology

for certain of its watch products, including its BIG TIC technology developed in 1998 and the patent-pending

combination automatic/quartz movement called TWIST. Fossil also offers jewellery under the FOSSIL, DIESEL and

EMPORIO ARMANI brands and in 2000 introduced FOSSIL Jeans wear targeted towards youthful consumers. In

2002 Fossil created a proprietary technology brand ABACUS, targeted for distribution in the electronics channel.

Design

Fossil's in-house team of renowned designers constantly study and draw inspiration from emerging lifestyle and

fashion trends to bring customers the most innovative and unique products worldwide while ensuring consistency with

the Company's existing product offerings and the themes and images that it associates with its products. For its


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licensed brands, Fossil works with the respective licensor's design team. In certain instances, Fossil believes that

innovations in design details for the Company's watches and details and treatments in its other accessories have

allowed it to achieve significant improvements in consumer acceptance of its products with only minor increases in

manufacturing costs. Fossil believes that the substantial experience of its design staff will assist in maintaining its

current leadership position in watch design and in expanding the scope of its product offerings.

In 2006, Fossil accomplished two firsts. After more than seventeen years of transforming the very concept of

packaging with its signature watch tins, Fossil announced in June, Tinspiration, the Fossil design contest, inviting

designers from around the United States to develop artwork for the brand's famous watch tin packaging. Over 250

submissions were posted to the fossil.com website and after the final voting was tallied, a winner was announced in

November. The main prize was the winner's and the second, third and fourth place finishers designs to be produced

on a limited edition run of Fossil watch tins summer of 2007. Additional prizes were also given. The contest was

wonderfully successful that Fossil will announce another design contest later this year.

Also, as part of its celebration of their unique tin history, Fossil published a coffee-table book anthology showcasing

hundreds of its most creative and unique tin designs from the past 17 years. The Fossil tin has delivered a fun,

irreverent and vintage brand message to millions of consumers worldwide for over 17 years.

These iconic boxes are nearly as popular as the watches they hold and are regularly collected and traded throughout

the world at flea markets, antique shops, and on eBay. With one of the most celebrated graphic design teams in the

world and hundreds of awards to their credit, Fossil continues to set the highest standard for creative excellence.

U.S. Business

Domestically, the Company sells its products in retail locations in the United States through a diversified distribution

network that includes department store doors and specialty retail locations. Department store doors include stores

such as Nieman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Federated Department Stores and Dillard's, as-well-as

stores such as JCPenney, Kohl's and Sears. In addition, Fossil sells certain private label products through mass-

market stores such as Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart. The specialty retail locations sell a mix of Fossil's proprietary and

licensed brands. Fossil also sells its products in the United Stated through a network of 113 Company-owned stores,

with 53 retail stores located in premier retail sites and 60 outlet stores located in major outlet malls. The Company

also offers selected FOSSIL and licensed brand products at its website,www.fossil.comand ABACUS brand

products at its websitewww.abacuswatches.com.

International Business

Internationally, Fossil's products are sold to department stores and specialty retail stores in over 90 countries

worldwide through Company-owned foreign sales subsidiaries and through a network of approximately 60

independent distributors. The Company's products can be found in the Asia Pacific region, Europe, South and Central

America, the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico and the Middle East. Fossil's products are offered on cruise ships and in 23

international Company-owned FOSSIL retail stores. Additionally, the Company's products are sold throughindependently owned FOSSIL retail stores and kiosks in certain international markets.

Swiss Business

In 2001, Fossil completed the acquisition of three separate companies located in Bienne, Switzerland. Through this

acquisition, the Company obtained the design, sourcing and production capabilities necessary to manufacture

Fossil's entre into the Swiss business, allowing it to market to an important consumer segment with unique tastes for

Swiss made designs. Another important facet of this business is Fossil's ability to leverage the Swiss infrastructure
http://www.fossil.com/http://www.fossil.com/http://www.fossil.com/http://www.abacuswatches.com/http://www.abacuswatches.com/http://www.abacuswatches.com/http://www.abacuswatches.com/http://www.fossil.com/


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with key licensing relationships including the Burberry license. The Swiss Division, Montres Antima SA, handles the

design, manufacturing, distribution, and merchandising of Burberry timepieces.

Fossil has become one of the most innovative companies in the world market and continues to reinforce its initial

philosophy of constantly pushing the boundaries of design, innovation and technology all symbolized by its products

and its people. LONG LIVE VINTAGE, that is the heart and soul of Fossil.

About Fossil

Fossil is a global lifestyle company specializing in consumer fashion accessories. It designs, markets, distributes, and

retails accessory products under both owned and licensed brand names. A distinctive modern vintage design

aesthetic defines the Fossil brand, fusing elements of vintage creative culture, Mid-Century Modern design, and

contemporary fashion. With offerings that include watches, jewellery, leather goods, sunwear, apparel, and footwear,

Fossil continues to grow as it introduces new designs, stores, and product categories. The company's products are

sold in department stores and specialty retail stores in over 90 countries around the world, in addition to the

company's e-commerce websites. Certain product, press release and SEC filing information concerning the Company

is available atwww.fossil.com.

Fossil, a leading global brand in the forefront of product accessories and hour hands, celebrating its

widest opening boutiques in Grand City Surabaya. Boutique area of 119, 45 m2 is a boutique Fossil

seventh in Indonesia and two in Surabaya after previously taking the hearts of lovers of accessories

through its stores in Tunjungan Plaza 4.
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fossil brand history

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