
<PAGE>

                         EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT is made this 15th day of May 1997, 
by and between I. C. Isaacs & Company, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership 
(the "Company"), and Gerald W. Lear (the "Executive").
     
                             EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

     The Company desires to continue to employ the Executive as the President 
and Co-Chief Executive Officer on the terms and conditions herein set forth, 
and the Executive has agreed to accept employment with the Company on the 
terms and conditions herein set forth.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual promises 
made herein, the parties agree as follows:

     1.   Employment.  The Company hereby employs the Executive as its 
President and Co-Chief Executive Officer and agrees to continue the Executive 
in that position during the term of this Agreement. 

     2.   Term.  This Agreement shall begin May 15, 1997 and shall continue 
until May 15, 2000.  (the "Employment Period") Thereafter, this Agreement 
shall renew automatically from Employment Year to Employment Year, subject to 
the right of either party to terminate this Agreement as of the end of any 
Employment Year upon sixty (60) days' prior written notice to the other 
party. An "Employment Year" begins each May 15 and ends on the following May 
15.

     3.   Base Salary.  The Executive's base salary for the first Employment 
Year under this Agreement (May 15, 1997 through May 15, 2000) shall be at the 
rate of Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000) per annum.  Such base salary 
may be increased based on periodic reviews by the Compensation Committee of 
the Board of Directors. The Executive's base salary shall be paid throughout 
the year, in accordance with normal payroll practices of the Company.

     4.   Bonuses; Stock Plans.  In addition to his base salary, during the 
term of this Agreement, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in any 
bonus and stock option plans, programs, arrangements and practices sponsored 
by the Company for the benefit of executive employees serving in similar 
capacities with the Company (and/or its affiliates), if any, as may be 
established from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Company for 
the benefit of such executive employees, in accordance with the terms of such 
plans, as amended by the Company from time to time; it being understood that 
there is no assurance with respect to the establishment of such plans or, if 
established, the continuation of such plans during the term of this Agreement.

                                  1

<PAGE>

     5.   Other Benefits.  During the term of this Agreement, the Executive 
shall also be entitled to participate in or receive benefits under all of the 
Company's benefit plans, programs, arrangements and practices, including 
pension, disability, and group life, sickness, accident or health insurance 
programs, if any, as may be established from time to time by the Board of 
Directors of the Company for the benefit of executive employees serving in 
similar capacities with the Company (and/or its affiliates), in accordance 
with the terms of such plans, as amended by the Company from time to time; it 
being understood that there is no assurance with respect to the establishment 
of such plans or, if established, the continuation of such plans during the 
term of this Agreement.

     6.   Duties.

          A. During the term of this Agreement, the Executive shall serve as 
the President and Co-Chief Executive Officer, have such powers and shall 
perform such duties as are incident and customary to his office, including 
those described in the Company's By-Laws (as amended from time to time), and 
shall perform such other additional executive and administrative duties and 
functions commensurate with such position as from time to time shall be 
assigned to him by the Board of Directors of the Company.  The Executive 
shall perform such additional duties and functions without separate 
compensation, unless otherwise authorized by the Board.

          B. The Executive shall devote his full time, attention, skill, and 
energy to the performance of his duties under this Agreement, and shall 
comply with all reasonable professional requests of the Company; provided, 
however, that the Executive will be permitted to engage in and manage 
personal investments and to participate in community and charitable affairs, 
so long as such activities do not interfere with his duties under this 
Agreement.

     7.   Vacation and Sick Leave.

          A. The Executive shall be entitled to a total of four (4) weeks of 
vacation each Employment Year, such vacation to be in accordance with the 
terms of the Company's announced policy for executive employees, as in effect 
from time to time.  The Executive may take his vacation at such time or times 
as shall not interfere with the performance of his duties under this 
Agreement.

          B. The Executive shall be entitled to paid sick leave and holidays 
in accordance with the Company's announced policy for executive employees, as 
in effect from time to time.

     8.   Expenses.  The Company shall reimburse the Executive for all 
reasonable expenses, including but not limited to expenses for first class 
service for international air travel, incurred in connection with his duties 
on behalf of the Company, provided that the Executive shall keep, and present 
to the Company, records and receipts relating to reimbursable expenses 
incurred by him.  Such records and receipts shall be maintained and presented 
in a format, and with such regularity, as the Company reasonably may require 
in order to substantiate the

                                  2

<PAGE>

Company's right to claim income tax deductions for such expenses.  Without 
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Executive shall be entitled to 
reimbursement for any business-related travel, business-related 
entertainment, whether at his residence or otherwise, and other costs and 
expenses reasonably incident to the performance of his duties on behalf of 
the Company.

     9.   Termination of Employment for Cause.  Notwithstanding the 
provisions of Section 2 of this Agreement, the Executive's employment (and 
all of his rights and benefits under this Agreement) shall terminate 
immediately and without further notice upon the happening of any one or more 
of the following events:

          A. The Executive has been or is guilty of (i) a criminal offense 
involving moral turpitude, (ii) criminal or dishonest conduct pertaining to 
the business or affairs of the Company (including, without limitation, fraud 
and misappropriation), (iii) any act or omission the intended or likely 
consequence of which is material injury to the Company's business, property 
or reputation, which act or omission continues uncured for a period of ten 
(10) days after the Executive has received written notice from the Company, 
and/or (iv) gross negligence or willful misconduct which continues uncured 
for a period of ten (10) days after the Executive has received written notice 
from the Company;

          B. The Executive persists, for a period of ten (10) days after 
written notice from the Company, in a course of conduct reasonably determined 
by the Board of Directors of the Company to be in violation of his duties to 
the Company under this Agreement or otherwise in violation of the covenants, 
agreements or obligations under the terms of this Agreement;

          C. The Executive's death; or

          D. The continuous and uninterrupted inability to perform the 
Executive's duties on behalf of the Company, by reason of accident, mental or 
physical illness or impairment, or disease, for a period of one hundred and 
eighty (180) days from the first day of such inability to perform his duties. 
 (Subsections A, B, C, & D of this Section 9 hereinafter referred to 
collectively and individually as "Cause").

          In the event of a termination for Cause, the Company shall pay the 
Executive his base salary through the effective date of the employment 
termination, and the Executive shall immediately thereafter forfeit all 
rights and benefits (other than vested benefits), including but not limited 
to any right to compensation pursuant to Section 4 of this Agreement, he 
would otherwise have been entitled to receive under this Agreement.  The 
Company and the Executive thereafter shall have no further obligations under 
this Agreement except as otherwise provided in Sections 13 and 14 of this 
Agreement.

     10.  Termination of Employment by the Company Without Cause. 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2 of this Agreement, the Board of 
Directors may terminate the Executive's employment, as provided under this 
Agreement, at any time, for reasons other than

                                  3

<PAGE>

for Cause by notifying the Executive in writing of such termination.  If the 
Executive is terminated pursuant to this Section 10, (i) during the remainder 
of the Non-Competition Period (as hereinafter defined), the Company shall 
pay the Executive his base salary at the rate and in the manner required by 
Section 3 and in effect immediately prior to the date of termination and (ii) 
after the Employment Period, the Company and the Executive shall have no 
further obligations under this Agreement except as otherwise provided in 
Sections 13 and 14 of this Agreement.  

     11.  Termination of Employment by the Executive. Notwithstanding the 
provisions of Section 2 of this Agreement, the Executive may terminate this 
Agreement at any time by giving the Board of Directors written notice of his 
intent to terminate, delivered at least sixty (60) days prior to the 
effective date of such termination.

     Upon expiration of the sixty (60) day notice period (or such earlier 
date as may be approved by the Board of Directors), the termination by the 
Executive shall become effective.  Upon the effective date of such 
termination, the Company's obligations under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of this 
Agreement shall immediately expire, except to the extent that the benefits 
described in Section 5 have vested and continue after termination under the 
terms of the benefit plans and programs that generally apply to executive 
employees serving in similar capacities with the Company.

    12. Non-Renewal. If, upon termination of the Employment Period, the 
Company shall decide not to renew this Agreement and the Company does not 
waive the provisions of Section 13 below, (i) during the remainder of the 
Non-Competition Period, the Company shall pay the Executive his base salary 
at the rate and in the manner required by Section 3 of this Agreement and in 
effect immediately prior to the date of termination and (ii) after the 
Employment Period, the Company and the Executive shall have no further 
obligations under this Agreement except as otherwise provided in Sections 13 
and 14 of this Agreement.

     13.  Non-Competition.  The Executive and the Company recognize that due 
to the nature of his employment, and his relationship with the Company, the 
Executive has had and will have access to, and has acquired and will acquire, 
and has assisted and will assist in developing, confidential and proprietary 
information relating to the business and operations of the Company (for 
purposes of this Section 13 and Section 14 below, the Company shall mean the 
Company, I. G. Design, Inc., or any of its/their affiliates or successors) 
including, without limitation, information with respect to their present and 
prospective services, systems, products, clients, customers, agents, and 
sales and marketing methods.  The Executive acknowledges that such 
information has been and will be of central importance to the Company's 
business and that disclosure of it to others or its use by others could cause 
substantial loss to the Company.  The Executive and the Company also 
recognize that an important part of the Executive's duties will be to develop 
good will for the Company through his personal contact with the Company's 
clients, and that there is a danger that this good will, a proprietary asset 
of the Company, may follow the Executive if and when his relationship with 
the Company is terminated.  

          A.  The Executive agrees that, during the term of his employment 
with the Company, and for a period of two (2) years after the termination of 
his employment for any reason whatsoever, including the non-renewal of this 
Agreement by either party (the "Non-Competition Period"): 

              (i)  The Executive will not directly or indirectly, within
    the United States, whether as a partner, proprietor, employee,
    consultant, agent or otherwise, participate or engage in any business
    that competes with, restricts, or interferes with the business of the
    Company, including, without limitation, any business in the young
    men's and women's contemporary sportswear industry.
     
                                       4

<PAGE>

              (ii)  The Executive will not directly or indirectly (for 
    his own account, or for the account of others) interfere with,
    solicit, or accept for himself, his benefit, or for anyone other
    than the Company, any of the clients or customers of the Company,
    at the time of said termination, or any potential clients or
    customers solicited or being solicited by the Company at the time
    of such termination or within the period two (2) years prior thereto,
    or perform any services of any competitive nature in connection with
    said clients or customers for anyone other than the Company.
     
              (iii)  The Executive further agrees that he shall not, at 
    any time, directly or indirectly, urge any client (or customer) or
    potential client (or potential customer) of the Company to discontinue
    business, in whole or in part, or not to do business, with the Company.
     
              (iv)  The Executive further agrees that he shall not, at 
    any time, directly or indirectly, solicit, hire or arrange to hire
    any person who at the time of such hire or within two (2) years prior
    to the time of such hire was an employee of the Company and was not
    involuntarily terminated by the Company, for himself or for any
    business entity with which he may be, or may be planning to be,
    affiliated or associated, or otherwise interfere with the retention
    of employees that the Company desires to retain as such.
          
           B.  The Executive expressly acknowledges and agrees (i) that the 
restrictions set forth herein are reasonable, in terms of scope, duration, 
geographic area, and otherwise, (ii) that the protections afforded to the 
Company hereunder are necessary to protect its legitimate business interests, 
and (iii) that the agreement to observe such restrictions form a material 
part of the consideration for this Agreement and the Executive's employment 
by the Company.

     14.  Confidential Information.  The Executive agrees that, during the 
term of his employment with the Company, and for a period of two (2) years 
after the termination of his employment for any reason whatsoever, he shall 
not disclose to any person or use the same in any way, other than in the 
discharge of his duties under this Agreement in connection with the business 
of the Company, any trade secrets or confidential or proprietary information 
of the Company, including, without limitation, any information or knowledge 
relating to (i) the business, operations or internal structure of the 
Company, (ii) the clients (or customers) or potential clients (or potential 
customers) of the Company, (iii) any method and/or procedure (such as 
records, programs, systems, correspondence, or other documents), relating or 
pertaining to projects developed by the Company or contemplated to be 
developed by the Company, or (iv) the Company's business, which information 
or knowledge the Executive shall have obtained during the term of this 
Agreement, and which is otherwise of a secret or confidential nature.  
Further, upon leaving the employ of the Company for any reason whatsoever, 
the Executive shall

                                       5

<PAGE>

not take with him, without prior written consent of the Board of Directors of 
the Company, any documents, forms, or other reproductions of any data or any 
information relating to or pertaining to the Company, any clients (or 
customers) or potential clients (or potential customers) of the Company, or 
any other confidential information or trade secrets.

     15.  Entire Agreement; Amendments, Other Agreements.  This Agreement 
contains the entire understanding of the Executive and the Company with 
respect to employment of the Executive and supersedes any and all prior 
understandings, written or oral.  This Agreement may not be amended, waived, 
discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing.  Any 
earlier employment agreements between the Executive and the Company are 
hereby terminated and shall be of no further effect after the effective date 
hereof.

     16.  Miscellaneous.

          A. Any notices required by this Agreement shall (i) be made in 
writing and mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, with adequate 
postage prepaid; (ii) be deemed given when so mailed; (iii) be deemed 
received by the addressee within ten (10) days after given or when the 
certified mail receipt for such mail is executed, whichever if earlier; and 
(iv) in the case of the Company, be mailed to its principal office, or in the 
case of the Executive, be mailed to the last address that the Executive has 
given to the Company.

          B. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit 
of, the parties, their successors, assigns, personal representatives, 
distributees, heirs, and legatees.

          C. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced 
in accordance with, the laws of the State of Maryland, without giving effect 
to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.  

          D. Any dispute regarding any aspect of this Agreement or any act 
which allegedly has or would violate any provision of this Agreement will be 
submitted to binding arbitration.  Such arbitration shall be conducted before 
an arbitrator sitting in a location agreed to by the Company and the 
Executive within fifty (50) miles of the location of the Executive's 
principal place of employment, in accordance with the rules of the American 
Arbitration Association then in effect.  Each party will be entitled to 
limited discovery, to consist of a maximum of three (3) depositions (maximum 
two (2) hours each), and twenty-five (25) written interrogatories per party, 
which will be completed within one hundred twenty (120) days following the 
selection of the arbitrator.  Judgment may be entered on the award of the 
arbitrator in any court having competent jurisdiction.

          E. Any failure by the Company to insist upon strict compliance with 
any term or provision of this Agreement, to exercise any option, to enforce 
any right, or to seek any remedy upon any breach by the Executive shall not 
affect, or constitute a waiver of, the Company's right to insist upon such 
strict compliance, exercise such option, enforce such right, or seek such 
remedy with respect to such breach or any prior, contemporaneous, or 
subsequent breach.  No custom or practice of the Company at variance with any 
provision of this Agreement shall affect 

                                       6

<PAGE>

or constitute a waiver of, the Company's right to demand strict compliance 
with all provisions of this Agreement.

          F. Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or 
unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be deemed 
severable from the remainder of this Agreement, and the remaining provisions 
contained in this Agreement shall be construed to preserve to the maximum 
permissible extent the intent and purposes of this Agreement.  Any such 
prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or 
render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

          G. In the event that the Executive violates the provisions of 
Sections 13 and 14 above, upon notice from the Company informing him of the 
nature of such violation, the Executive shall immediately terminate any 
actions which constitute such violation.  The existence of this right shall 
not preclude any other rights and remedies at law or in equity which the 
Company may have.

          H. It is recognized that damages in the event of breach of any 
provision of Sections 13 and 14 above by the Executive would be difficult, if 
not impossible, to ascertain, and it is therefore agreed that the Company, in 
addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, will 
be entitled to a decree of specific performance, mandamus or other 
appropriate remedy to enforce performance of such requirements. 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement 
as of the day and year first hereinabove written.
     
                                   I. C. ISAACS & COMPANY, L.P.
                                   I. G. DESIGN, INC.
                                   
                                   
                                   By: /s/ Robert J. Arnot
                                      --------------------------------- 
                                      Robert J. Arnot
                                      Co-Chief Executive Officer
                                   
                                   
                                   EXECUTIVE

                                   /s/ Gerald W. Lear
                                   ------------------------------------
                                   Gerald W. Lear

                                       7

