September 11, 1996 Signal Apparel Company, Inc. Manufacturer's Road Chattanooga, Tennessee Gentlemen: This will serve to modify the letter agreement dated March 29, 1996 ("Interim Extension Agreement") between Joan Vass Inc. ("Vass") and you ("Signal") pursuant to which the June 1, 1992 License Agreement ("License Agreement") between Vass and Signal was agreed to be extended beyond its May 31, 1996 termination date, as follows: 1. Subject to the provision of Paragraph 6 hereof, the notice of termination of the License Agreement dated August 8, 1996 served by Rose & Boxer, Esqs. on behalf of Vass is hereby rescinded effective August 8, 1996 ("Notice of Termination") and Vass hereby waives the claims, if any, which it may otherwise have sought to have asserted against Signal by reason of the breaches of the License Agreement alleged in the Notice of Termination. 2. Paragraph 2 of the Interim Extension Agreement is modified so that the Term of the License Agreement shall be deemed extended to May 30, 1997 and shall be applicable to the following Collections: Spring 1997 and Summer 1997 (the "Extended Collections"). 3. Subparagraph a of Paragraph 2 of the Interim Extension Agreement is amended by adding the following payment obligations to said paragraph in addition to those set forth therein: DATE OF PAYMENT OBLIGATION TO BE PAID No later than the due Payment of third party dates reflected on the expenses (as determined invoices. and approved by Vass) for Vass' Spring 1997 Fashion Show to be held on October 31, 1997, up to a maximum of $70,000 ("Fashion Show Expenses"). (Signal hereby indemnifies Vass from liability for non- payment of such Fashion Show Expenses). December 1, 1996 Payment of the sum of $62,500, less the amount expended by Signal as Fashion Show Expenses in excess of $60,000 but not in excess of $65,000 December 30, 1996 Payment of Royalty on Net Sales of u.s.a. garments between September 1, 1996 and November 30, 1996, in excess of the payments scheduled to be made October 30, 1996 and November 30, 1996 January 30, 1997 Payment of Royalty on Net Sales of u.s.a. garments in the month of December 1996 February 28, 1997 Payment of Royalty on Net Sales of u.s.a. garments in the month of January, 1997 March 1, 1997 Payment of the sum of $62,500, less the amount expended by Signal as Fashion Show Expenses in excess of $65,000 but not in excess of $70,000 March 30, 1997 Payments of Royalty on Net Sales of u.s.a. garments between December 1, 1997 and February 28, 1997, in excess of the payments scheduled to be made January 30, 1997 and February 28, 1997 DATE OF PAYMENT OBLIGATION TO BE PAID April 30, 1997 Payment of Royalty on Net Sales of u.s.a. garments in the month of March 1997 May 30, 1997 Payment of Royalty on Net Sales of u.s.a. garments in the month of April 1997. June 30, 1997 Payments of Royalty on Net Sales of u.s.a. garments between March 1, 1997 and May 30, 1997, in excess of the payments scheduled to be made April 30, 1997 and May 30, 1997 July 30, 1997 Payment of Royalty on Net Sales during the "Disposal Period" (as defined in the License Agreement) of u.s.a. garments in the month of June 1997 August 30, 1997 Payment of Royalty on Net Sales during the Disposal Period of u.s.a. garments in the month of July 1997 September 30, 1997 Payments of Royalty on Net Sales during the Disposal Period of u.s.a. garments between June 1, 1997 and August 30, 1997, in excess of the payments scheduled to be made July 30, 1997 and August 30, 1997 4. Paragraph 3 of the Interim Extension Agreement is hereby revised to read as follows: "3. The parties recognize that in order that prototypes of Joan Vass u.s.a. garments for the Extended Collections be available to permit Signal to manufacture sales samples for selling in a timely fashion, it is necessary that Vass periodically work on the development of the Extended Collections prototypes at Signal's Heritage facility in Marion, South Carolina. Vass agrees to undertake the development of the prototypes subject to this letter agreement upon the following conditions: -3- "a. Signal acknowledges that Vass' designs for each of the seasons of the Extended Collections are and at all times shall be and remain the property of Vass. "b. All prototypes, patterns and specification sheets for garments for the Extended Collections developed by Vass and Signal (Heritage) shall at all times be and remain the property of Vass. Upon the termination of the License Agreement, the same shall be delivered to Vass at its offices in New York within five (5) days of Vass' written demand therefore. Vass shall be responsible for the expense of shipping and shall have the option to credit Signal for such shipping expense and the direct expense of preparation of prototypes, patterns and specification sheets against the amounts due and to come due to it as Royalties under the License Agreement, which direct expense shall be the responsibility of Vass if the above option is exercised by Vass. "c. The provisions of Section 4.5(a) and (o) shall not be applicable during the period covered by this Agreement except that Signal shall continue the program of cooperative advertising of u.s.a. garments for Fall 1996, Holiday 1996 and the Extended Collections customarily offered by it during the Term of the License Agreement to Signal customers. "d. So long as Signal is in compliance with the License Agreement and the terms of this letter agreement, Signal shall be entitled to offer for sale and accept any orders for Fall or Holiday 1996 and the Extended Collections garments without further approval of Vass. "e. Upon termination of the License Agreement, (i) Vass shall have the option to purchase all samples manufactured by Signal for the Extended Collections, or any one or more of them, at Signal's (Heritage's) direct cost; (ii) Vass shall have the option to purchase at Signal's (Heritage's) cost all inventoried yarns and other materials and accessories, allocated to u.s.a. garments and (iii) Vass shall also have the option to assume any yarn contracts held by Signal (Heritage) allocated to u.s.a. garments. "Such options shall be exercised by Vass by written notice following the termination of the License Agreement given within twenty days (20) after receipt of notice from Signal (Heritage) of the (a) inventory of samples available for Vass' purchase and Signal's (Heritage's) cost, (b) inventory of yarn, other materials and accessories available for Vass' purchase and Signal's (Heritage's) cost and (c) a description of the yarn contracts held by Heritage which Vass may assume. Vass shall also have the option to make any payment required to be made by credit against the amounts due and to come due to it as Royalties under the License Agreement." 5. The first sentence of Paragraph 4 of the Interim Extension Agreement as modified to read as follows: "The applicability of the provisions of Section 9 of the License Agreement are conditioned upon timely compliance by Signal with the provisions of Section 4.2 of the License Agreement governing the payment of Royalties during the Disposal Period." 6. The rescission of the Notice of Termination of the License Agreement, as extended, as provided in Paragraph 5 hereof is conditioned upon the following: a. Signal shall indemnify, save and hold Vass harmless, and hereby agrees to indemnify, save and hold Vass harmless, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages and expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) which may be asserted against it by reason of the cessation of manufacture by Signal of garments for Chelsea Gray Apparel, Inc. ("Chelsea Gray") or any related entity (the "Grounds"), provided, however this indemnification for expenses shall not apply to expenses (including reasonably attorney's fees) (i) incurred by Vass in defending a counterclaim brought by Chelsea Gray asserting the Grounds should Vass initiate litigation against Chelsea Gray or any related entity on any ground or (ii) incurred by Vass prior to the date hereof. b. Signal agrees that on and after October 15, 1996 it shall permanently cease the manufacture and distribution of garments for Chelsea Gray or any other entity which are derived, in whole or in any part, from fabrications and/or designs contained in garments designed by Vass for one or more Collections previously (or hereafter) submitted by Vass to Signal and not rejected by Signal. Vass agrees to and does hereby waive and release Signal from any claims it may have asserted or sought to have asserted against Signal by reason of the manufacture by Signal of any garment for Chelsea Gray prior to October 15, 1996. c. Signal agrees that it shall not manufacture garments for Chelsea Gray in the absence of Vass' prior approval and verification that the garment so proposed to be manufactured by Signal is not derived in whole or in part from fabrications and/or designs contained in garments designed by Vass for one or more Collections previously (or hereafter) submitted by Vass to Signal and not rejected by Signal, which approval shall not unreasonably be withheld and shall be given or denied within 5 business days of the request to Vass' for such approval; otherwise such garments shall be approved. 7. The terms and provisions of the License Agreement as modified by the Interim Extension Agreement and as further modified by the provisions of this Agreement are hereby ratified, affirmed and approved. -6- Please signify your consent to and approval of the foregoing by signing at the foot hereof. Very truly yours, JOAN VASS, INC. By /s/ Joan Vass --------------------- Joan Vass, President Consented to and Agreed SIGNAL APPAREL COMPANY, INC. By /s/ Bruce Krebs -------------------------- Bruce Krebs, President