EXHIBIT (a)(1)(G)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JONES APPAREL GROUP, INC.

Contacts:  Wesley R. Card, Chief Operating and Financial Officer
           Anita Britt, Executive Vice President Finance
           (215) 785-4000


           JONES APPAREL GROUP COMMENCES TENDER OFFER FOR MAXWELL SHOE
    PRELIMINARY CONSENT SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC TODAY

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - March 23, 2004 - Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (NYSE:JNY)
("Jones") today announced that MSC Acquisition Corp., an indirect wholly owned
subsidiary of Jones ("MSC"), commenced a tender offer for all of the outstanding
shares of Class A Common Stock of Maxwell Shoe Company Inc. (NasdaqNM:MAXS)
("Maxwell") at a price of $20 per share in cash.

Based on the latest publicly available information, as of March 4, 2004, Maxwell
had approximately 14.8 million shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding,
giving the transaction a total equity value (excluding stock options) of
approximately $297 million.

Jones also announced that Jones and MSC are filing today with the Securities and
Exchange Commission a preliminary consent solicitation statement relating to the
solicitation of written consents from Maxwell stockholders to take certain
actions to facilitate the tender offer, including nominating five highly
qualified individuals to replace the members of Maxwell's Board of Directors.

Peter Boneparth, Chief Executive Officer of Jones, stated, "While we still
prefer to move forward with Maxwell on a cooperative basis, Maxwell's refusal to
meet with us to discuss our proposal has left us no choice but to take our offer
directly to Maxwell's stockholders - the owners of the company. Maxwell's
stockholders will now have the opportunity to decide the future of their company
for themselves. This offer provides an outstanding opportunity for Maxwell's
stockholders to maximize the value of their investment in Maxwell. It represents
a premium of approximately 19% over the closing price for Maxwell shares on
February 19, 2004, the day after we informed Maxwell of our initial proposal,
and an even greater premium on Maxwell's business when adjusted for its
significant cash position."

The tender offer and withdrawal rights are scheduled to expire at 12:00
Midnight, New York time, on April 19, 2004, unless extended.

Following completion of the tender offer, Jones intends to consummate a
second-step merger in which all remaining Maxwell stockholders will receive the
same cash price paid in the tender offer, subject to any available appraisal
rights under Delaware law.

The offer is not conditioned upon financing. The tender offer is conditioned
upon, among other things, (1) there being validly tendered and not withdrawn
prior to the expiration date of the offer a number of shares of Class A Common
Stock, par value $.01 per share, together with the associated preferred stock
purchase rights (together, the "shares"), of Maxwell that, together with the
shares then owned by Jones and its subsidiaries, would represent at least a
majority of the total number of outstanding shares on a fully diluted basis, (2)
Maxwell's Board of Directors redeeming the preferred stock purchase rights or
MSC being satisfied, in its sole discretion, that the preferred stock purchase
rights have been invalidated or are otherwise inapplicable to the offer and the
proposed second-step merger described herein, (3) MSC being satisfied, in its
sole discretion, that Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law will
be inapplicable to the proposed second-step merger or any other business
combination involving Jones or any of its subsidiaries and Maxwell and (4) the
expiration or termination of all waiting periods imposed by the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended,

and the regulations thereunder. The complete terms and conditions of the tender
offer are contained in the Offer to Purchase included in the tender offer
statement to be filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. is acting as Dealer Manager for the tender offer and
Innisfree M&A Incorporated is acting as Information Agent for the offer.

Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (www.jny.com), a Fortune 500 Company, is a leading
designer and marketer of branded apparel, footwear and accessories. The
Company's nationally recognized brands include Jones New York, Polo Jeans
Company licensed from Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Evan-Picone, Norton
McNaughton, Gloria Vanderbilt, Erika, l.e.i., Energie, Nine West, Easy Spirit,
Enzo Angiolini, Bandolino, Napier, Judith Jack, Kasper, Anne Klein, Albert Nipon
and LeSuit. The Company also markets costume jewelry under the Tommy Hilfiger
brand licensed from Tommy Hilfiger Corporation and the Givenchy brand licensed
from Givenchy Corporation, and footwear and accessories under the ESPRIT brand
licensed from Esprit Europe, B.V. Celebrating more than 30 years of service, the
Company has built a reputation for excellence in product quality and value, and
in operational execution.

Certain statements herein are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking
statements represent the Company's expectations or beliefs concerning future
events that involve risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially include (1) the businesses of Jones and Maxwell not
being integrated successfully, (2) expected combination benefits from a
Jones/Maxwell transaction not being realized, (3) the failure of the proposed
transaction to occur, or the occurrence of the proposed transaction on terms
different than those described, (4) the strength of the economy, (5) the overall
level of consumer spending, (6) the performance of the Company's products within
the prevailing retail environment, and (7) other factors which are set forth in
the Company's 2003 Form 10-K and in all filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission made by the Company subsequent to the filing of the Form 10-K. The
Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking
statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This release does not constitute a solicitation of proxies in connection with
any matter to be considered at Maxwell's 2004 annual meeting of stockholders.
Neither Jones nor MSC is soliciting, or intends to solicit, proxies in respect
of any matter to be considered at Maxwell's 2004 annual meeting.

Jones is scheduled to present at the Merrill Lynch Retailing Leaders conference
today at 8:40 am eastern time. The presentation will be webcast and made
available through April 5, and is accessible through the Company's website at
www.jny.com.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE TENDER OFFER

MSC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jones, has commenced a tender offer for all
the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock of Maxwell at $20 per share, net
to the seller in cash, without interest. The offer currently is scheduled to
expire at 12:00 Midnight, New York City time, on April 19, 2004. MSC may extend
the offer and currently expects that the offer will be extended until the
principal conditions to the offer, which are described in the Offer to Purchase
forming part of MSC's tender offer statement, are satisfied.

If the offer is extended, MSC will notify the depositary for the offer and issue
a press release announcing the extension on or before 9:00 a.m. New York City
time on the next business day following the date the offer was scheduled to
expire.

Investors and security holders are urged to read the disclosure documents that
will be filed later today with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including
the tender offer statement, regarding the proposed Jones/Maxwell transaction
referenced in the foregoing information, because they will contain important
information. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the
disclosure documents (when they are available) and other documents filed by
Jones with the SEC at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In addition, documents
filed with the SEC by Jones or MSC may be obtained free of charge from Jones by
directing a request to Jones Apparel Group, Inc., 250 Rittenhouse Circle,
Keystone Park, Bristol, Pennsylvania 19007, Attention: Chief Operating and
Financial Officer.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE CONSENT SOLICITATION

Investors and security holders are also urged to read the consent solicitation
statement relating to the solicitation of consents of Maxwell's stockholders
when it becomes available, because it will contain important information. Jones
will file a preliminary consent solicitation statement later today with the SEC
and will file a definitive consent solicitation statement as soon as practicable
thereafter. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the
preliminary consent solicitation statement, the definitive consent solicitation
statement (when it is available) and other documents that Jones files with the
SEC at its web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, documents filed with the SEC by
Jones or MSC may be obtained free of charge from Jones by directing a request to
Jones Apparel Group, Inc., 250 Rittenhouse Circle, Keystone Park, Bristol,
Pennsylvania 19007, Attention: Chief Operating and Financial Officer.

CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING PARTICIPANTS

Jones, MSC and, in each case, certain of its officers, directors and nominees
for the directorships of Maxwell, among others, may be deemed to be participants
in the solicitation of Maxwell's stockholders. The security holders of Maxwell
may obtain information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of
individuals who may be participants in the solicitation of Maxwell's
stockholders in a Schedule 14A which will be filed with the SEC later today.