NEW YORK, June 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (NYSE: JNY), ("Jones") today announced that it has promoted Jay Friedman to President, Company-Owned Retail Footwear and Apparel, effective immediately. In this role, Mr. Friedman will focus on leveraging the Company's infrastructure and relationships to enhance the retail footwear and apparel businesses. He will report to Andrew Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, Wholesale Footwear and Accessories.

Mr. Friedman is a highly regarded executive with more than thirty-six years of experience in the footwear and apparel industry. He joined Jones in April 2006 as President, Wholesale Footwear, where he had design, sales, inventory and P&L responsibility for Easy Spirit, Enzo Angiolini, Circa Joan & David and Jones' children's brands.

Peter Boneparth, Chief Executive Officer of Jones Apparel Group, said, "Jay is an industry veteran with a well-rounded background in footwear and apparel, and we believe that he is the right manager to lead our retail businesses as we work to improve results. The performance of our wholesale footwear and accessories business has improved dramatically over the past several quarters, and we are encouraged by the strength of our Anne Klein, Nine West, Bandolino, and Enzo Angiolini brands. I am confident that the retail team will benefit from Jay's experience and insight, and that the success being realized in wholesale will extend to the company-owned retail and outlet businesses."

Andrew Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, Wholesale Footwear and Accessories, said, "I have had the pleasure of working with Jay since he joined Jones, and he has consistently demonstrated himself as a talented merchant and effective leader. We have a deep bench of talent across our retail and wholesale businesses, and I believe that by leveraging this and our other strengths, we will continue our progress and achieve long-term growth and increased profitability."

Prior to joining Jones, Mr. Friedman served as Chief Operating Officer and President of Wholesale, and served on the U.S. Board of Directors, for Aigner Group Inc. That company achieved very significant operating profit growth during his first year managing operations. Mr. Friedman previously served as USA President, Foot Locker, and in various management roles at The Dayton - Hudson Corp., where he oversaw increased sales. He has held management positions at Filenes Department Stores and R.H. Macy's Department Stores. Mr. Friedman was recognized as "Merchant of the Year" in 1996 and 1988 by Accessories Magazine and Footwear News, respectively.

About Jones Apparel Group, Inc.

Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (www.jny.com), a Fortune 500 company, is a leading designer, marketer and wholesaler of branded apparel, footwear and accessories. The Company also markets directly to consumers through our chain of specialty retail and value-based stores, and operates the Barneys New York chain of luxury stores. The Company's nationally recognized brands include Jones New York, Evan-Picone, Norton McNaughton, Gloria Vanderbilt, Erika, l.e.i., Energie, Nine West, Easy Spirit, Enzo Angiolini, Bandolino, Joan & David, Mootsies Tootsies, Sam & Libby, Napier, Judith Jack, Kasper, Anne Klein, Albert Nipon, Le Suit and Barneys New York. The Company also markets costume jewelry under the Givenchy brand licensed from Givenchy Corporation and footwear under the Dockers Women brand licensed from Levi Strauss & Co. Each brand is differentiated by its own distinctive styling, pricing strategy, distribution channel and target consumer. The Company primarily contracts for the manufacture of its products through a worldwide network of quality manufacturers. The Company has capitalized on its nationally known brand names by entering into various licenses for several of its trademarks, including Jones New York, Evan-Picone, Anne Klein New York, Nine West, Gloria Vanderbilt and l.e.i., with select manufacturers of women's and men's products which the Company does not manufacture. For more than 30 years, the Company has built a reputation for excellence in product quality and value, and in operational execution.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding the Company's expected financial position, business and financing plans are forward-looking statements. The words "believes," "expect," "plans," "intends," "anticipates" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements also include representations of the Company's expectations or beliefs concerning future events that involve risks and uncertainties, including:

• the failure to obtain the necessary financing arrangements to consummate the transaction;
• the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the definitive agreement;
• the failure of either party to meet the closing conditions set forth in the definitive agreement;
• risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations and the potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the transaction;
• the amount of costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the transaction;
• non-expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976;
• the outcome of any legal or regulatory proceeding that may be instituted against the Company and others following announcement of the transaction;
• those associated with the effect of national and regional economic conditions;
• lowered levels of consumer spending resulting from a general economic downturn or lower levels of consumer confidence;
• the performance of the Company's products within the prevailing retail environment;
• customer acceptance of both new designs and newly-introduced product lines;
• the Company's reliance on a few department store groups for large portions of the Company's business;
• consolidation of the Company's retail customers;
• financial difficulties encountered by customers;
• the effects of vigorous competition in the markets in which the Company operates;
• the Company's ability to identify acquisition candidates and, in an increasingly competitive environment for such acquisitions, acquire such businesses on reasonable financial and other terms;
• the integration of the organizations and operations of any acquired businesses into the Company's existing organization and operations;
• the Company's reliance on independent foreign manufacturers;
• changes in the costs of raw materials, labor and advertising;
• the general inability to obtain higher wholesale prices for the Company's products that the Company has experienced for many years;
• the uncertainties of sourcing associated with the new environment in which general quota has expired on apparel products (while China has agreed to safeguard quota on certain classes of apparel products through 2008, political pressure will likely continue for restraint on importation of apparel);
• the Company's ability to successfully implement new operational and financial computer systems; and
• the Company's ability to secure and protect trademarks and other intellectual property rights.

A further description of these risks and uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations can be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10- K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, including, but not limited to, the Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Disclosure and Item 1A - Risk Factors therein, and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such expectations may prove to be incorrect. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Jones Apparel Group, Inc.

CONTACT: Wesley R. Card, Chief Operating and Financial Officer of Jones
Apparel Group, Inc., +1-215-785-4000; or Joele Frank and Sharon Stern, both of
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher, +1-212-355-4449, for Jones Apparel
Group, Inc.
Web site: http://www.jny.com