PVH is the first fashion brand to be so blacklisted, a designation typically reserved for defense and biotech companies, such as Illumina, which was also just added to the unreliable entities list.

Formerly known as a maker of midtier men's shirts, PVH transformed itself with two big acquisitions. It purchased fashion brand Calvin Klein in 2003 and Tommy Hilfiger in 2010.

China’s Commerce Ministry said Thursday that it will investigate the fashion company PVH, which owns brands like Tommy ...