Authentic Brands Group Announces Partnership with Baozun
Through the agreement, Baozun Acquires a 51% Equity Interest of Hunter in Greater China and Southeast Asia
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, today announces a partnership with Baozun Inc. (Baozun) for Hunter, the progressive British heritage brand famous for its iconic Original Wellington boot.
Through a newly formed Authentic subsidiary, ABG Hunter LLC, Baozun and Authentic enter a joint venture for the brand in Greater China and Southeast Asia, of which Baozun acquires a 51% interest of Hunter’s intellectual property across the regions.
“We are thrilled to partner with Baozun to grow Hunter in this important region,” said Jamie Salter, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Authentic. “This strategic move is in line with our strategy to think global and act local. By partnering with Baozun, a leader in digital and e-commerce experiences in China and Southeast Asia, we are able to combine our expertise in brand management with their deep understanding of the local market nuances and cultural trends.”
Authentic and Baozun have also entered an exclusive, long-term license agreement through which Baozun will design, manufacture, market and distribute Hunter brand products in Greater China. The license agreement will be assigned by ABG Hunter LLC to Hunter IP Holdco as the licensor across the region.
“We are excited to share our recent partnership with Authentic Brands Group, a leading global brand management company that owns a large portfolio of more than 50 brands, including many iconic and world-renowned lifestyle brands,” said Vincent Qiu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Baozun. “This marks another milestone in our transformation where all three business lines will cooperate together to deliver an extraordinary suite of services to leading global brand companies in China and other Asian markets.”
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, which owns a portfolio of more than 50 iconic and world-renowned Lifestyle, Entertainment and Media brands. Headquartered in New York City, with offices around the world, Authentic connects strong brands with best-in-class partners and a global network of operators, distributors and retailers to build long-term value in the marketplace. Its brands generate more than $29 billion in global annual retail sales and have an expansive retail footprint in 150 countries, including 11,700-plus freestanding stores and shop-in-shops and 390,000 points of sale.*
Authentic is committed to transforming brands by delivering powerful storytelling, compelling content, innovative business models and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media. Authentic’s brand portfolio includes Marilyn Monroe®, Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O’Neal®, David Beckham®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Sports Illustrated®, Reebok®, Brooks Brothers®, Barneys New York®, Judith Leiber®, Ted Baker®, Hunter®, Vince®, Hervé Léger®, Hickey Freeman®, Frye®, Nautica®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Aéropostale®, Forever 21®, Nine West®, Rockport®, Eddie Bauer®, Boardriders®*, Quiksilver®*, Billabong®*, Roxy®*, DC Shoes®*, RVCA®*, Element®*, VonZipper®*, Honolua®*, Spyder®, Volcom®, Shark®, Tretorn®, Prince®, Airwalk®, Izod®, Jones New York®, Van Heusen®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Arrow® and Thomasville®.
For more information, visit corporate.authentic.com.
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*Pending acquisition in Q3 2023
About Hunter
With a 160-plus-year heritage, the Hunter brand has evolved from a rubber boot to a lifestyle brand, offering an expansive footwear collection, outerwear, bags and accessories designed for outdoor performance in both rural and urban environments. With seasonal introductions of fresh new styles and colorways inspired by the brand’s strong DNA, Hunter has cemented its position as the "welly of choice" among outdoor enthusiasts, celebrities and fashion trendsetters alike.
For more information, please visit https://hunterboots.com.
About Baozun Inc.
Founded in 2007, Baozun Inc. is a leader in brand e-commerce service, brand management, and digital commerce service. It serves more than 400 brands from various industries and sectors around the world, including East and Southeast Asia, Europe and North America.
Baozun Inc. comprises three major business lines -- Baozun e-Commerce (BEC), Baozun Brand Management (BBM) and Baozun International (BZI) and is committed to accelerating high-quality and sustainable growth. Driven by the principle that “Technology Empowers the Future Success”, Baozun’s business lines are devoted to empowering their clients’ business and navigating their new phase of development.
For more information, please visit http://ir.baozun.com.