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].

Oct. 21, 2022: Authentic Brands Group (ABG) has completed the acquisition of the distinctive British lifestyle brand Ted Baker after announcing a deal to acquire the U.K.-based brand in August. “We are excited to welcome Ted Baker to the Authentic family,” said Jamie Salter, founder, chairman and CEO of ABG in a statement. “This uniquely British brand enhances our fashion portfolio and further reinforces ABG’s brand presence in the UK, Europe and the Middle East. The purchase of Ted Baker is in line with our strategic focus on growing and diversifying the portfolio through the acquisitions of brands that originate from outside of the US.”

Oct. 20, 2022: Kicks Crew has announced a new partnership with NBA All-Star Damian Lillard. As part of the deal, Lillard, who is point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, is the sneakers and apparel platform’s new equity investor and its first “Crew Athlete.” This also marks Lillard’s first-ever tech startup investment. The partnership launched with a campaign that documents the partners’ first community initiative in Damian’s hometown of Oakland, Calif. and is accompanied with a digital app experience consisting of curated sneaker edits by Lillard, limited sneaker drops and giveaways. “I invested into Kicks Crew because of the platform’s unique point of view on sneaker culture,” said Lillard in a statement. “Putting accessibility and community first, they’re building a space that allows everyone to experience sneaker culture.” Ross Adrian Yip, co-founder and COO of Kicks Crew, added: “We’ve been bouncing off ideas around what we can do for the sneaker community. It was obvious that Damian is passionate about this space and the perfect partner for us as he embodies what our brand stands for – by staying true to ourselves and our crew.”

Oct. 13, 2022: Aetrex has announced that the U.S. Army and Navy are now using its Albert 2 Pro 3D foot scanner to analyze how to best create the best combat and safety footwear for women. Via data from these scans, the Army and Navy will gain a deeper understanding of the measurements, static pressure underfoot and dynamic pressure needed to create future boot designs for women in combat, who do not typically wear shoes built from a last specifically designed for them

Oct. 10, 2022: Australia-based sneaker retailer Sneakerboy has been sold to UK sports retail firm Frasers Group, according to a report from The Australian Financial Review. The report said the sale was made for an undisclosed sum. Frasers Group, according to the report, will keep Sneakerboy’s staff in tact and run the business. Also, the report stated Frasers Group — which has a brand portfolio that includes LA Gear, Sports Direct, Everlast and others — will assume employee entitlements but it won’t take on any other liabilities of the original Sneakerboy business. The report also stated Frasers Group has expressed interest in keeping the leases of its remaining stores. (Sneakerboy currently has three stores in Victoria.) The Sneakerboy Group of Companies has been under control of corporate insolvency specialist Stephen Dixon of the insolvency firm Hamilton Murphy since July, a statement released at the time by Hamilton Murphy confirmed. Dixon was appointed as voluntary administrator, according to the Hamilton Murphy statement, which was decided “due to short term financing difficulties being experienced by the company.”

Oct. 3, 2022: Rocky Brands, Inc. announced on Monday that it has sold its Neos Overshoe brand to SureWerx, a global manufacturer of safety, tool & equipment products. Rocky Brands acquired Neos Overshoe in March 2021 when it purchased the performance and lifestyle footwear business from Honeywell. Neos Overshoe has been designing and manufacturing premium overshoes built to protect workers and consumers alike from the elements since 1993. Terms were not disclosed.

Sept. 23, 2022: New York-based footwear brand Ground Up has announced a new licensing deal with BBC Studios to create footwear inspired by Ludo Studio’s Emmy Award-winning animated series “Bluey.” The collection of toddler footwear will launch in 2023. Ground Up said it plans to take an elevated approach to the collection and craft designs featuring Bluey and other beloved characters such as Bingo, Bandit and Chilli. The line will consist of a wide selection of shoe styles, including slip-on sneakers, laced low- and high-tops, seasonal boots, slides, slippers and athletic sneakers. Ground Up also has character licensing partnerships with Nickelodeon, Disney, Warner Bros., Universal and more.

Sept. 12, 2022: Vince Holding Corp. announced on Monday that it plans to exit its Rebecca Taylor business. The New York-based fashion company said it made the strategic decision to “focus its resources” on the Vince brand. The company said it is in discussions with its lenders to finalize the wind down plan, which is expected to include selling off its assets and exiting its various business channels. “Given the increased headwinds from the range of macroeconomic and pandemic related issues in the industry that Rebecca Taylor in particular has faced over the past two years, we have made the difficult decision to exit our Rebecca Taylor business,” Jack Schwefel, CEO of Vince Holding Corp., said in a statement. “The closure of Rebecca Taylor will allow the company to focus on Vince’s core businesses and our overall financial foundation for the long-term.” This news comes as the company reported a net sales increase of 13.4% to $89.2 million as compared to $78.7 million in the same period last year reflecting a 20.5% increase in Vince brand sales and a 27.9% decrease in Rebecca Taylor and Parker sales, combined.

Sept. 12, 2022: JCPenney has launched Frye and Co., a western American collection of footwear, apparel and handbags, that draws its inspiration from the original Frye brand. “We’re pleased to bring the exclusive Frye and Co. collection to our customers and offer the timeless, iconic style that Frye is known for,” Michelle Wlazlo, EVP and chief merchandise officer at JCPenney, said in a statement. “JCPenney strives to celebrate and serve America’s diverse, working families by providing accessible style for everyone and we’re excited to partner with a brand whose history and values align with our own.” Boots are available in women’s sizes 6 – 11 and men’s sizes 7 – 13. The assortment also includes sherpa jackets, boho midi dresses, fair isle sweaters, shirting, pants and more available in sizes XS – 3X and men’s big & tall. Additionally, cold-weather pieces, home & tech accessories will hit shelves in late fall 2022, just in time for the holidays. JCPenney customers can now shop Frye & Co. footwear and accessories in 300 stores and apparel in 150 stores across the country. The full Frye & Co. assortment is available on jcp.com.

Sept. 8, 2022: Oofos has teamed up with the Las Vegas Raiders to become the team’s official recovery footwear. The brand said via statement that it will partner with the franchise to support it through the demanding football season. As part of the sponsorship, Oofos said it will supply footwear for the organization to help promote recovery, and its footwear will be sold in select Raider Image retail locations. Also, there will be an integrated media and marketing campaign to “educate consumers and fans about the benefits” of the footwear, which includes on-site experiential activations at select events. The partnership with the Raiders is an organic one, as players from the team — including star quarterback Derek Carr — have worn Oofos as a recovery tool. Although this deal is new, Oofos is not foreign to the world of pro sports. Its ambassador roster features names including basketball legend Dawn Staley, retired NFL quarterback Alex Smith and others.

Aug. 31, 2022: Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is expanding its partnership with longtime Reebok partner Warson Brands. Under the terms of the new agreement, Warson will design, develop and distribute premium occupational footwear for the Frye and Volcom brands in the U.S. and Canada. The Frye Company will launch Frye Supply, a new occupational footwear line that embodies the “heritage, quality, and craftsmanship” of Frye boots, ABG said. Volcom’s skate-inspired work shoes will offer on-trend styles for a “new generation of workers who are inspired by board lifestyle and action sports.” Warson said it will incorporate the specifications required to meet the ASTM 2413 safety standards for occupational footwear. The footwear will be fitted with protective steel or composite toe caps. For high tech industries, several styles will be constructed with electro-static dissipating properties. All styles will feature slip resisting outsoles. Both the new Frye and Volcom work footwear collections, which will retail between $90 to $160, will be available at select workwear and specialty accounts in spring 2023.