Exhibit 99.1

Perry Ellis International Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2018 Results

MIAMI, May 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Perry Ellis International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PERY) today reported results for the first quarter ended April 29, 2017 (“first quarter of fiscal 2018”).

Key Fiscal First Quarter 2018 Financial Accomplishments and Operational Highlights:

The Company had a solid start to the year but notes the retail environment remains tenuous, as such, it is reiterating guidance for fiscal year 2018 including revenues in a range of $870 million to $880 million and adjusted diluted earnings per share in a range of $2.07 to $2.17.

Oscar Feldenkreis, Chief Executive Officer and President, commented, “We are pleased to report a solid start to Fiscal 2018 with both our top and bottom line results surpassing guidance, reflecting solid growth in our core brands driven by the earlier shipment of Spring merchandise and strong gross margin expansion. Our razor sharp focus on maximizing the potential of our core global brands by delivering a continuous flow of new innovative products while maintaining tight inventory discipline continued to serve us well in a difficult U.S. retail environment, with particular strength in Golf Lifestyle Apparel and Nike Swim. During the quarter, we also continued to make progress on our speed-to-market initiatives, which position us to bring new innovation to store faster at increasing margins and replenish the most sought after products in season.”

Fiscal 2018 First Quarter Results

Total revenue was $242 million, a 7.3% decrease (6.5% decrease on constant currency) compared to $261 million reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. This reflected a planned decrease in shipments given a reduction of customers’ doors and inventory discipline to drive higher margin sales. The disciplined management of inventory across channels along with increased sales of higher margin core brands led to a 120 basis point expansion in GAAP gross margin to 37.6% in the first quarter from 36.4% in first quarter of fiscal 2017. Adjusted gross margin was 37.6% compared with adjusted gross margin of 36.7% in the comparable period of the prior year. (Adjusted gross margin excludes certain items as outlined in Table 2 Reconciliation of Gross Profit to Adjusted Gross Profit and Adjusted Gross Margin.)

Selling, general and administrative expenses totaled $71.2 million as compared with $69.9 million in the comparable period of the prior year. SG&A in first quarter of fiscal 2018 included $1.0 million of unanticipated costs that are not expected to continue. Excluding this, SG&A was in line with prior year.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the first quarter of fiscal 2018 totaled $19.9 million, as compared to $25.2 million in the comparable period of the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA totaled $19.9 million as compared to $26.1 million in the comparable period of the prior year. (Adjusted EBITDA excludes certain items as outlined in Table 3, Reconciliation of Net Income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA.)

As reported under GAAP, the first quarter of fiscal 2018 net income was $12.8 million or $0.83 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $14.3 million, or $0.95 per diluted share and adjusted net income of $15.2 million, or $1.01 per diluted share, in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. (Adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per diluted share exclude certain items as outlined in Table 1 Reconciliation of net income and income per diluted share to adjusted net income and adjusted net income per diluted share.)

Balance Sheet

The Company’s financial position continues to get stronger. Cash and investments at the end of first quarter fiscal 2018 totaled $43 million with $148 million of long-term debt. The Company’s net debt to total capitalization stood at 24.3% at the end of first quarter fiscal 2018 as compared to 30.5% at the end of first quarter fiscal 2017. Working capital management continues to be a critical focus across the organization as inventory turned at approximately 4x for first quarter fiscal 2018.

George Feldenkreis, Executive Chairman, Perry Ellis International, commented, “We continue to successfully navigate the changing U.S. retail environment, as demonstrated by our solid first quarter performance. Our investment in talent, marketing and our digital platform is elevating our brands around the world. We are committed to delivering stockholder value and believe our strong balance sheet and cash flow generation along with the continued focus on our strategy will support the long-term growth potential of Perry Ellis International.”

About Perry Ellis International

Perry Ellis International, Inc. is a leading designer, distributor and licensor of a broad line of high quality men’s and women’s apparel, accessories and fragrances. The Company’s collection of dress and casual shirts, golf sportswear, sweaters, dress pants, casual pants and shorts, jeans wear, active wear, dresses and men’s and women’s swimwear is available through all major levels of retail distribution. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, owns a portfolio of nationally and internationally recognized brands, including: Perry Ellis^®, An Original Penguin^® by Munsingwear^®, Laundry by Shelli Segal^®, Rafaella^®, Cubavera^®, Ben Hogan^®, Savane^®, Grand Slam^®, John Henry^®, Manhattan^®, Axist^®, Jantzen^® and Farah^®. The Company enhances its roster of brands by licensing trademarks from third parties, including: Nike^® and Jag^® for swimwear, and Callaway^®, PGA TOUR^®, and Jack Nicklaus^® for golf apparel. Additional information on the Company is available at http://www.pery.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

We caution readers that the forward-looking statements (statements which are not historical facts) in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations rather than historical facts and they are indicated by words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “budget,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “guidance,” “indicate,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possibly,” “potential,” “predict,” “probably,” “proforma,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” or “will” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon and similar words or phrases or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Perry Ellis’ strategic operating review, growth initiatives and internal operating improvements intended to drive revenues and enhance profitability, the implementation of Perry Ellis’ profitability improvement plan and Perry Ellis’ plans to exit underperforming, low growth brands and businesses. We have based such forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections.

While we believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include: general economic conditions, a significant decrease in business from or loss of any of our major customers or programs, anticipated and unanticipated trends and conditions in our industry, including the impact of recent or future retail and wholesale consolidation, recent and future economic conditions, including turmoil in the financial and credit markets, the effectiveness of our planned advertising, marketing and promotional campaigns, our ability to contain costs, disruptions in the supply chain, including, but not limited to these caused by port disruptions, disruptions due to weather patterns, our future capital needs and our ability to obtain financing, our ability to protect our trademarks, our ability to integrate acquired businesses, trademarks, trade names and licenses, our ability to predict consumer preferences and changes in fashion trends and consumer acceptance of both new designs and newly introduced products, the termination or non-renewal of any material license agreements to which we are a party, changes in the costs of raw materials, labor and advertising, our ability to carry out growth strategies including expansion in international and direct-to-consumer retail markets; the effectiveness of our plans, strategies, objectives, expectations and intentions which are subject to change at any time at our discretion, potential cyber risk and technology failures which could disrupt operations or result in a data breach, the level of consumer spending for apparel and other merchandise, our ability to compete, exposure to foreign currency risk and interest rate risk, the impact to our business resulting from the United Kingdom’s referendum vote to exit the European Union and the uncertainty surrounding the terms and conditions of such a withdrawal, as well as the related impact to global stock markets and currency exchange rates; possible disruption in commercial activities due to terrorist activity and armed conflict, actions of activist investors and the cost and disruption of responding to those actions, and other factors set forth in Perry Ellis’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those risks and uncertainties detailed in Perry Ellis’ filings with the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are valid only as of the date they were made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise.

Contact:

Annette Ramos, Investor Relations

305-873-1488

Annette.ramos@pery.com

PERRY ELLIS INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

(amounts in 000’s, except per share information)

INCOME STATEMENT DATA:

PERRY ELLIS INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

(amounts in 000’s)

BALANCE SHEET DATA:

PERRY ELLIS INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Table 1

RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME AND INCOME PER DILUTED SHARE TO ADJUSTED NET INCOME AND ADJUSTED NET INCOME PER DILUTED SHARE

(UNAUDITED)

(amounts in 000’s, except per share information)

PERRY ELLIS INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Table 2

RECONCILIATION OF GROSS PROFIT TO ADJUSTED GROSS PROFIT AND ADJUSTED GROSS MARGIN(1)

(UNAUDITED)

(amounts in 000’s)

PERRY ELLIS INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Table 3

RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA(1)

(UNAUDITED)

(amounts in 000’s)