New high-profile store locations in Tokyo, Vietnam and Moscow

NEW YORK, Dec. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- This December 2006, Nine West Group, a division of Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (NYSE: JNY) has opened key flagship store locations in premier shopping districts including Omotesando, Tokyo, Le Thai To, Vietnam and Moscow, Russia as part of a high-profile global expansion plan. Nine West first entered into the global marketplace in Hong Kong in 1994. Through licensing agreements, Nine West is currently sold in over 60 countries and has over 875 retail locations, including 315 retail locations in Asia, 273 in Europe, 131 in the Middle East, 40 in Australia, 22 in Central America, 12 in Africa, 70 in North America outside the United States and 16 in South America.

The new store openings are part of an expansion initiative that began in early 2006. Nine West stores will have a more boutique environment, and will feature a specially selected assortment of product, including footwear, accessories and handbags. The new retail stores will be located in premier fashion districts worldwide. "The store design will include collections that are indulgent, dramatic and upscale, representing the viewpoints of the Nine West brand and strengthening our global fashion presence," says Andrew Cohen, Chief Executive Officer for Wholesale Footwear and Accessories.

The new store design made its Asian debut at the Tokyo, Japan flagship location, which opened in Omotesando, the exclusive shopping district in the city. Nine West is also excited to open its first store in Hanoi, Vietnam, which will be located on Le Thai To, a street that is widely known for its commercial appeal, located in the heart of the city. Four new retail stores will also be opening in well-known shopping areas in Russia: one in Moscow, two in St. Petersburg and one in Nizhny Novogorad, a suburb outside of Moscow. Of Nine West's strategic global positioning, Cohen says, "This international expansion of our retail stores in these prestigious markets will reinforce Nine West as a leading global accessory brand."

Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (http://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.

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 involves risks and uncertainties, including:

     - 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, advertising and
       transportation;
     - 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, 2005, 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: Jodi Fisher, Jones Apparel Group, Inc., +1-914-640-4319