Catch all the latest news about footwear industry acquisitions, and licensing and distribution agreements here. Got a deal in the works? Tell us at [email protected].

July 8, 2022: Tom Ford is reportedly up for sale, according to Bloomberg. The media outlet said on Thursday that the luxury fashion brand is working with investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc. on the effort. According to Bloomberg, a deal could value the company at several billion dollars and may include an option that would give any new owner of Tom Ford the right to work with its founder after the sale. No final decision has been made and Tom Ford could still opt to remain independent. Ford, an Austin, Texas native started his namesake company in 2005, a year after leaving Gucci, which he revitalized during a decade-long stint as creative director.

July 7, 2022: Gap is coming to India. The San Francisco-based company has inked a new partnership agreement with Reliance Retail Limited, India’s largest retailer, to bring the Gap brand to the country. Through the long-term franchise agreement, Reliance Retail has become the official retailer for Gap across all channels in India. Reliance Retail will introduce Gap through a mix of exclusive brand stores, multi-brand store expressions and digital commerce platforms. “We look forward to growing the Gap business across key international markets,” Adrienne Gernand, managing director of international, global licensing and wholesale at Gap Inc., said in a statement. “Partnering with regional experts, like Reliance Retail in India, allows us to deliver our relevant, purpose-driven brand to customers around the globe, while continuing to diversify our business portfolio through our partner-based model.”

 

 

July 1, 2022: Wolverine Worldwide has settled a lawsuit with HanesBrands. Under the agreement, Wolverine will sell its Champion trademarks for footwear to HanesBrands for $90 million. However, Wolverine will still be able to use the Champion trademark on specific shoes such as the Keds Champion.

 

 

June 30, 2022: Third-generation independent shoe retailer Stan’s Fit for Your Feet has added another store to its roster. The business, which has locations in Brookfield, Glendale and Greenfield, Wis., has purchased Waxberg’s Walk Shoppe in Niles, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. Waxberg’s — also a third-generation retailer founded in 1919 — will continue to operate under its own name, according to Jim Sajdak, president of Stan’s Fit for Your Feet. “We can appreciate the importance of the Waxberg’s brand name in the community, since they’ve established a wonderful heritage over the past 100 years,” he said. “We are also really proud to have their team joining our family in an effort to continue Waxberg’s legacy.” This marks the Sadjak family’s first foray outside the Greater Milwaukee area. In addition to three Stan’s Fit for Your Feet locations, they also operate two New Balance stores and a Vionic branded shop.

June 22, 2022: Autumn Adeigbo found new investors in Hollywood stars Cameron Diaz, Mila Kunis and Gabrielle Union. In 2020, Adeigbo, then a one-woman show, secured $1.3 million of institutional investments. She made headlines as the first eponymous fashion brand led by a female, Black designer to raise more than $1 million in venture capital funding. Then, in September 2021, she secured additional funds of nearly $3 million, led by venture capital firm Offline Ventures, bringing her total investments to more than $4 million. “Personally, it means so much for these women who I have so much respect for, to believe in me,” Adeigbo told FN. “Business-wise, it means the world to us that our brand has incredible support from women who have excelled in their individual illustrious careers in Hollywood, and are also passionate about entrepreneurship.”

 

 

June 22, 2022: eBay Inc. has acquired non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace KnownOrigin. The acquisition, according to eBay, is important in its tech-led reimagination, and will help usher in “a new era of digital collecting to the world’s top destination for collectibles.” KnownOrigin, which was founded in 2018, enables people to create, buy and resell NFTs via blockchain-support transactions. eBay began allowing the buying and selling of NFTs in May 2021. The companies signed and closed the deal today, and the details of the deal were not disclosed.

June 15, 2022: Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR), which supports underrepresented Black and Latinx designers, has announced a new partnership with LVMH North America to work on improving diversity in fashion. As part of the partnership, the fashion house has committed to addressing diversity, equity and inclusion via different summits and retreats in connection with HFR. “Through this partnership, HFR and LVMH North America look forward to continuing their mission of giving designers of color access to individuals and organizations that can help shape their future” said Brandice Daniel, CEO and founder of HFR.

 

June 13, 2022: Europe-based online fashion and lifestyle platform Zalando has acquired a majority stake in Highsnobiety. According to a statement, Highsnobiety will act as a strategic and creative consultant to help Zalando develop inspiration-focused spaces and formats, and the Zalando Group will allow for Highsnobiety to leverage its resources to fuel its e-commerce capabilities. Highsnobiety, according to the statement, will retain its editorial autonomy and will continue to be led by managing directors David Fischer and Jürgen Hopfgartner. Also, Highsnobiety founder David Fischer will retain a minority stake in the business. Both Zalando and Highsnobiety agreed not to disclose financial details of the deal.

 

 

June 9, 2022: Apple Original Films, Nike’s Waffle Iron Entertainment and production company Makeready have inked a deal to produce films related to athletes and sports, Deadline reported. Apple will oversee financing and distribution while Nike’s Justin Biskin and Makeready’s Brad Weston and Collin Creighton will produce the films, which will center on themes regarding the power of sport.

June 8, 2022: Puma has entered into a licensing agreement with United Legwear & Apparel Co. LLC (ULAC) to produce, market, sell and distribute Puma Swimwear in North America. Under the agreement ULAC will launch Puma’s swimwear line in Q1 of 2023 in stores across the U.S. and Canada. “As a company, we strive to be at the forefront of performance, innovation and style,” said Bob Philion, president and CEO of Puma North America. “Partnering with ULAC for this strategic growth initiative in North America will allow us to expand our offerings to our customers while staying true to our core values and focus as a brand.”

 

 

June 8, 2022: K-Way has inked a new deal with Bluebell Group to enter the Hong Kong market. Following the brand’s in-market digital launch in June, the new mono-brand physical store opening is planned for October 2022 at Pacific Place under the Swire Group, one of Hong Kong’s most premium shopping malls. K-Way will be introduced to Hong Kong consumers first through its online K-way.com.hk and a planned physical store in October. Targeting the active young local audience, offering a mix of technical meets fashion apparel, the brand’s footprint is expected to grow further in Hong Kong and into mainland China later this year. “We have no doubt K-Way will become an anchor brand for us in Hong Kong, where retail today is geared solely on local consumption,” Samy Redjeb, Bluebell Group managing director for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, said in a statement. “The brand offers a desirable and accessible lifestyle unisex fashion and kids wear, which is one of our core focus for the development of this market.”

 

June 6, 2022: Oofos is now the official recovery footwear of the Cape Cod Baseball League, an amateur baseball league based in Massachusetts. The partnership, according to Oofos, will allow the brand “to support the country’s top players as they compete and prepare for their careers at the next level in the Major Leagues.” Breaking down the sponsorship further, Oofos said it will provide a pair of active recovery footwear to all players in the league “to help promote recovery and enhance performance throughout the summer season,” Also, Oofos said it will be on-site at the Cape League All-Star game in July and will sponsor the Cape Cod Baseball League Awards at the end of the season.

 

 

June 3, 2022: After launching her womenswear label 19 years ago, Nili Lotan is making her entrance into menswear for pre-fall 2022, a natural progression for the designer who originally comes from a menswear design aesthetic. Lotan’s inaugural offering will include a range of classic shirting, pants, jackets, and occasionwear ranging in price from $185 for cotton jersey tees to $2,195 for a leather jacket. The collection will be available in July on NiliLotan.com and in Nili Lotan’s retail stores in East Hampton, Tribeca, Madison Avenue and Palm Beach. The collection will also be available at select retailers including Mr Porter, Matches Fashion, SSENSE, Saks, and Shopbop. Bergdorf Goodman and TNT will carry the men’s collection starting with fall in September.

 

 

May 25, 2022: Unlimited Footwear Group (UFG) has inked a new strategic licensing partnership with Paul Frank to design, produce, market, and distribute Paul Frank branded footwear in 50 countries including the entire European Union, Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Scandinavia. UFG said in a statement on Wednesday that the collections will embody Paul Frank’s youthful, fresh, fun, and accessible approach with a spark of humor, pleasant sarcasm, and everyday cleverness. The Heritage Footwear Company, part of UFG, will manage the footwear collections for Paul Frank. The Heritage Footwear Company plans to launch two collections a year at a mid-price level and will distribute through its international sales network of both multi-brand fashion and sports retail and through wholesale and various online platforms. The first Paul Frank footwear collection for men, women, and kids is scheduled to launch in spring/summer 2023.

 

May 16, 2022: Resale technology platform Recurate has secured $14 million in new Series A funding. This funding round was led by Jump Capital, and includes industry leaders Gradient Ventures, XRC Labs, Victress Capital, Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Fund, and AngelList Early-Stage Quant Fund, as well as executives from Brooks Brothers, Chubbies, and Klaviyo, among others. The new investment brings Recurate’s total funding to over $17.5 million. According to Recurate, the company will use the funding to power a new suite of services and integrations including image-based product recognition, advanced merchandising, and robust data analytics. Founded in 2020, Recurate now currently works with over 40 brands in the fashion, accessories, outdoor, and footwear categories including Steve Madden (Re-Booted), Frye (The Frye Exchange) and Mara Hoffman (Full Circle Marketplace) and expects this number to grow to over 100 brand partners by the end of the year.

May 13, 2022: Saks Fifth Avenue will start selling injectables this month as it expands its beauty offerings. The high-end department store will add an array of injectables, including Botox, dermal fillers and AquaGold, to its Manhattan flagship location on May 19 via a partnership with Skinney Medspa. The luxury spa currently operates a location inside Saks Fifth Avenue in New York.

 

 

May 12, 2022: Justin Bieber and Ryan Good’s Drew House label has launched its first wholesale partnership with Ssense, in store and online on May 12. This long-term partnership marks the first time drew house has teamed up with a global platform to expand its distribution. The full range of over 125 gender-neutral clothing and accessories for adults, kids, and pets will be available alongside new silhouettes and accessories. The May 12 drop will be followed with a second release in June. Prices range from $50 USD to $425.

 

 

May 9, 2022: Brand management company Iconix International Inc. has completed the acquisition of the global rights across all product categories to the Pony brand (excluding China and Taiwan), from Hong Kong-based company Symphony Holdings Ltd. Financial Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Iconix said that it will “maximize the value of Pony by uniting the global Pony brand rights under one roof.” The global brand will be run from Iconix’s New York City office. In Asia Pacific, the Pony brand will be managed as a joint venture with Symphony. The timing of the acquisition coincides with a big moment for the heritage athletic brand, as 2022 marks Pony’s 50th anniversary. Bob Galvin, CEO of Iconix, commented: “Sports remains a key focal point of our portfolio and Pony, with its strong brand recognition and rich heritage in both sport and fashion has significant potential for global growth. We look forward to evolving the brand to introduce it to a new generation, while also connecting with consumers that already value its heritage.”

 

May 2, 2022: Endur Apparel has closed a new investment round as well as renamed itself. The performance sock brand is now operating under its new brand name Outway. According to the brand, the new positioning will be fueled by a $3.2 million investment led by Andrew Wilkinson of Tiny. The company said its decision to rebrand was a “result of external circumstances where the best path forward was to evolve.” Outway added that following its rebrand, the company’s team, logo, and products will remain the same. “This rebrand is our butterfly moment,” founder Rob Fraser said in a statement. “Over the past five years we’ve grown and evolved, and although today we look a little different, our essence remains. We’re now able to spread our wings to take our brand to all-new heights, powered by the same team, products, and community.”

April 28, 2022: Centric Brands has finalized a new strategic acquisition of the hosiery division of Daytona Apparel Group, a portfolio of retail brands owned by Windsong Brands. Centric will take full ownership of Daytona Apparel Group’s hosiery division, which sells product across multiple brands in stores nationwide. Daytona Apparel will continue to independently operate its other categories. The acquisition will be merged into Centric’s growing accessories division led by Jarrod Kahn, group president of accessories. As part of the transaction, Centric will assume new license agreements including Stanley, Free Country, Real Tree, and Umbro. In addition, a number of associates from the hosiery team at Daytona will join Centric and report to Abe Dweck, EVP of accessories.

 

 

April 26, 2022: The Aldo Group announced on Tuesday that its North American creditors have voted in favor of its restructuring plan, almost two years after the global footwear and accessories company filed for protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. The vote marks a milestone on the company’s journey to exit its restructuring, first initiated in 2020. According to Aldo, in the next few weeks, there will be some additional legal and administrative steps left to take, including the finalization and approval of the Composition Agreement in Switzerland, before the Aldo Group can emerge from its restructuring proceedings completely.

 

April 19, 2022: Authentic Brands Group has announced that LF Corp. will be its strategic partner to distribute and sell the Reebok brand in South Korea. Via the deal, LF Corp. will have exclusive rights to distribute Reebok clothes and footwear via wholesale, e-commerce and Reebok retail stores in South Korea. “Reebok has a celebrated heritage, and we are excited to bring those elements to our consumers in an authentic and meaningful way,” said Soung Kim, GM and head of Reebok division at LF. “With more than 40 years of experience in the fashion industry, we are poised to expand Reebok’s presence across the region.”

 

 

April 18, 2022: OluKai, which is best known for its flip flop sandals, has launched its first sports performance line with the introduction of a range of men’s and women’s golf shoes. The Hawaiian-inspired footwear company’s new golf line includes four different performance shoes made for golf, two for him and two for her. According to OluKai, each style was created with the Wet Sand Principle, a comfort design philosophy that your shoes should mimic the feeling of walking in wet stand. Each shoe features removable/washable dual density polyurethane footbeds as well as wet-grip rubber spikeless outsoles with multidirectional traction. The four golf styles also feature the brand’s signature Drop-In Heel designed for easy on/off functionality. The collection, which retails between $150 and $160, is now available at Olukai.com.

 

 

April 14, 2022: The NBA and Foot Locker Europe today announced a multiyear expansion to their partnership. Via the deal, both entities will refurbish basketball courts in Paris and Rotterdam and host fan events and basketball clinics across Europe. Foot Locker will also partner with the NBA for its 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Barcelona and London this summer. “As part of our commitment to inspire and empower youth, basketball continues to be a key pillar for our brand for what it represents: community, inclusivity, hope and empowerment,” said president of Foot Locker EMEA Susie Kuhn.

 

April 13, 2022: Gordon Brothers is teaming up with IMG to expand its Laura Ashley brand in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, and the Middle East. The multi-year partnership with IMG will create new Laura Ashley apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty, homeware items, and hospitality offerings through carefully selected licensing and retail partnerships and collaborations. “We are delighted to partner with IMG to continue to expand Laura Ashley following the success of its spring homeware collection and fall fashion collaboration last year,” said Tobias Nanda, president of brands at Gordon Brothers. “Our focus in working with IMG will be to select additional strategic partnerships and collaborations to help bring the brand’s distinct aesthetic to consumers globally while continuing to develop our current brand partnerships.” After acquiring the Laura Ashley brand, archives, and related intellectual property and announcing a partnership with Next plc in 2020, Gordon Brothers relaunched Laura Ashley’s homeware collection online and in select Next stores. The company also debut a fall fashion collaboration with Batsheva in 2021 while developing brand partnerships in Korea, Japan, and the U.S.

 

 

April 8, 2022: The NPD Group has inked a new agreement to merge with Information Resources, Inc. (IRI). To close the deal private equity firm Hellman & Friedman (H&F) will acquire a majority stake in IRI and merge IRI with H&F portfolio company NPD. H&F will lead an ownership group consisting of existing long-term IRI investors Vestar Capital Partners and New Mountain Capital, which will both retain significant investments in the combined company. Following the close of the transaction, H&F, Vestar and NMC will each have representation on the combined company’s board of directors. Kirk Perry will become CEO of the combined company and serve on the board. NPD executive chairman Tod Johnson will be chairman of the combined company’s board, and Karyn Schoenbart also will join the board. Jeff Ansell, current chairman of IRI’s board, will continue on the combined company’s board as well. Johnson and Schoenbart will continue to lead NPD until closing and will remain investors in the combined company. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the second half of 2022. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.