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Note 9 - Commitments and Contingencies
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]
(
9
)
Commitments and Contingencies
 
 
(a)
Operating Leases
 
The Company leases its retail stores and corporate offices under agreements which expire at various dates through
2030.
The majority of leases contain provisions for base rent plus contingent payments based on defined sales as well as scheduled escalations. Total office and retail store base rent expense was
$44.5
million,
$45.3
million and
$46.7
million, and contingent rents were
$1.1
million,
$1.2
million and
$1.8
million for
2016,
2015
and
2014
, respectively.
 
Future minimum lease payments at
December
31,
2016,
were as follows (in thousands):
 
2017
   $
39,228
  
2018
    
31,338
  
2019
    
27,481
  
2020
    
25,930
  
2021
    
24,473
  
Subsequent to 2021
    
71,599
  
Total
   $
220,049
  
 
 
 
(b)
Litigation
 
In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to certain claims or lawsuits.
Except as noted below, management is not aware of any claims or lawsuits that
may
have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position or results of operations of the Company.
 
In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to regular examination by various taxing authorities for years not closed by the statute of limitation periods. If
one
or more of these examinations has an unfavorable resolution, it is possible that the results of operations, liquidity or financial position of the Company could be materially affected in any particular period. The Company accrues a liability for
loss contingencies when it believes that it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and that it can reasonably estimate the amount of the loss. Gain contingencies are recorded when the underlying uncertainty has been settled. Assessments made by the United Kingdom customs authority in
2012
have been appealed by the Company, which has paid the disputed duty, strictly under protest, pending the outcome of the continuing dispute, and this is included in receivables in the DTC segment. The United Kingdom customs authority is contesting the Company's appeal. In the
2015
fourth
quarter, the Company further evaluated its position and, based on the facts of the dispute available at the time, recorded an allowance against the related receivable in accordance with the provisions of U.S. GAAP. In
2016,
the Company collected a portion of the receivable and in the
2016
fourth
quarter reevaluated the collectability of the receivable based on current facts available. As a result of this analysis, the Company recorded an additional allowance against the receivable as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses in the DTC segment. As of
December
31,
2016,
the Company had a gross receivable balance of
$3.0
million and a reserve of
$2.4
million, leaving a net receivable of
$0.6
million. However, the Company continues to vigorously dispute the customs audit findings and believes that the outcome of this dispute will not have a material adverse impact on the results of operations, liquidity or financial position of the Company.