London, UK – 23 July, 2024 – Focus Brands, the brand licensing division of Hela Apparel Holdings PLC, has announced an exclusive long-term licensing partnership with Reebok to design, source and distribute Reebok-branded outerwear products for adults and kids in the UK and Europe.
Part of Authentic Brands Group, the world’s largest sports and entertainment licensing company, the world-renowned fitness, sports, and performance wear brand has a rich heritage across a wide range of active pursuits. The addition of Reebok to the Focus Brands portfolio marks the expansion of the company’s existing strategic relationship with Authentic Brand Group, as well as the first major milestone for the Hela Group since its acquisition of the company in January 2024.
“Our team has been working closely with Authentic Brands Group for the past three years as the brand licensing partner for Nautica in the UK and Europe,” said Ray Evans – CEO of Focus Brands.
“This agreement with Reebok is an exciting opportunity to further strengthen our relationship with the Authentic team, and we are looking forward to bolstering Reebok’s presence in the outerwear category through a strategically structured long-term plan, capitalizing on the Hela Group’s manufacturing capabilities.”
Focus Brands will serve as Reebok’s exclusive brand licensing partner in the UK and Europe for its outerwear category, which covers a wide range of products for men, women, and kids, including outdoor jackets, soft shells, bonded fleeces, and padded jackets. The products are expected to be sold across speciality sports stores, major department stores, and e-commerce platforms in the region, and Focus Brands will be responsible for all aspects of design, sourcing, marketing, and distribution.
“We look forward to expanding our relationship with Focus Brands and Hela to build Reebok’s presence in the premium, technical outwear category across the UK and Europe,” said Henry Stupp, President, Lifestyle - EMEA and India at Authentic. “This partnership will elevate the brand's offerings and bring a fresh, innovative approach to our product lineup, enhancing our appeal to consumers and solidifying our market position.”
The partnership marks the expansion of Focus Brands’ existing strategic relationship with Authentic Brands, as well as the first major milestone for the Hela Group since its acquisition of Focus Brands in January 2024. The new licensing agreement with Reebok is a further step forward in the Group’s strategy to grow Focus Brands into a world-leading brand management company supported by the Hela Group’s agile manufacturing solutions.
Richard Marshal – Chief Product Officer of Focus Brands says “The addition of Reebok to the Focus brand portfolio is a very exciting step for the company. We are looking forward to taking the lead on Reebok Outerwear in the UK and Europe and can’t wait to share our first collection launching in Q4, just in time for peak.”
About Focus Brands
Focus Brands is a market leader in design, sourcing, distribution and promotion for sports fashion and lifestyle brands, with an impressive roster that includes Avirex, ellesse, Nautica, Nautica Competition, Yogi, Peter Werth and Farrah Footwear. Focus specialises in clothing, footwear and accessories, building and nurturing leading consumer brands in both the UK and around the world. The company’s vision is to be the go-to business for brands looking to maximise their potential in a dynamic and everchanging.
About Hela Apparel Holdings PLC
Hela Apparel Holdings PLC provides sustainability-focused apparel supply chain and brand management solutions encompassing design, sourcing, marketing, and distribution through its global footprint, which includes a brand licensing division based in the UK.
The company works closely with global brands in the intimate, active and kids wear product categories. With 10 manufacturing facilities across four countries, 4 design centres, and 06 product showrooms in key markets, the Hela Group’s multifaceted workforce tops 14,000 globally and leads the industry in providing ethical and sustainable apparel solutions. www://focus-brands.com
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a unified platform that integrates M&A, brand strategy, creativity and digital innovation to unlock the power of its global portfolio. It connects iconic sports, lifestyle, entertainment and media brands with best-in-class partners to optimize long-term value in the marketplace. Generating more than $29 billion in global annual retail sales, Authentic’s brands have an expansive retail footprint in 150 countries, including 13,000-plus freestanding stores and shop-in-shops and 400,000 points of sale.
