Authentic Brands Group Signs Agreement With PDS and AARC for Ted Baker Operations in Europe
PDS establishes Ted Baker Design Group (TDG) as the brand’s global hub for design and innovation, while AARC becomes the distribution partner for the UK and Europe
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, today announced that it has signed long-term strategic partnerships with two new operating partners for Ted Baker in the UK and Europe, namely PDS Group (PDS) and AARC.
PDS, a global leader in design-led fashion sourcing and manufacturing platform, serving the world’s leading brands and retailers, will become a core licensee and operating partner for Ted Baker. PDS, through a UK subsidiary, will serve as the global hub for the newly established Ted Baker Design Group (TDG) and take on Ted Baker’s design and merchandising functions. TDG, which will be located at Ted Baker’s current London headquarters at Ted on Cleveland, will be responsible for all design, development, and product innovation servicing partners around the world, ensuring that the brand’s vision and ethos are preserved. Global Ted Baker distribution partners will purchase the brand’s core categories from TDG, including men’s and women’s sportswear and outerwear, men’s dress shirts, women’s dresses and fashion handbags. Additionally, TDG will service wholesale accounts in the UK and Europe.
Further solidifying the new Ted Baker model and preserving the brand’s retail footprint across the UK and Europe, Authentic has simultaneously signed a partnership with AARC to operate Ted Baker’s 120-plus retail stores and concessions and tedbaker.com/uk. AARC is a leading retail operator in 11 countries across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
As Authentic signs partnerships with a number of best-in-class operating partners that have established leadership structures, Rachel Osborne, along with other senior executives, will be stepping down from their roles at Ted Baker. This change is part of a broader transformation process as Ted Baker shifts towards Authentic’s licensing model, which partners with leading operators to optimize brand value in the marketplace. Other senior executives who will depart from Ted Baker include Chief Financial Officer Marc Dench, Chief People Officer Peter Collyer and Group Commercial and Business Development Director Helen Costello.
Rachel Osborne, Chief Executive Officer of Ted Baker said, “On behalf of myself, Marc, Peter and Helen, I would like to thank all our colleagues at Ted Baker for their enduring commitment and support during our tenure at the business. Ted Baker remains an iconic name with global brand recognition, and we feel privileged to have helped the business through the last 3 years of transformation. We’re glad to be leaving the business in good hands with a committed group of leaders at Authentic, PDS and AARC, and we’ll do everything in our power to set these new partnerships up for the greatest of success.”
“We are pleased to announce Authentic’s partnerships with PDS and AARC for Ted Baker in the UK and Europe,” said John McNamara, Chief Transition Officer, Authentic. “We are also proud to introduce Ted Baker Design Group, which is derived from the model through which we have seen great success with Reebok. The formation of TDG, supported by the expertise of PDS, AARC and Authentic, positions the brand for continued growth and expansion around the world. The Authentic team thanks Rachel and her team for their dedication and contributions during their time at Ted Baker.”
“We are looking forward to welcoming Ted Baker, a distinctive British lifestyle brand to PDS and joining Authentic’s global partner network,” said Pallak Seth, Executive Vice Chairman at PDS. “Authentic’s proven brand model, which will leverage their expertise in brand development and PDS’s design and product development capabilities, will position Ted Baker for its next phase of growth in the UK and Europe.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Authentic in establishing the new Ted Baker model,” said Joop De Hoogh, CFO at AARC. “We pride ourselves on uniquely customizing the omnichannel experience. In conjunction with Authentic, we intend to continue delivering Ted Baker’s beloved offerings via innovative retail experiences across the UK and Europe.”
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, which owns a portfolio of more than 40 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 approximately $25 billion* in global annual retail sales and have an expansive retail footprint in more than 150 countries, including 10,800-plus* freestanding stores and shop-in-shops and 380,000 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®, Hervé Léger®, Hickey Freeman®, Frye®, Nautica®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Aéropostale®, Forever 21®, Nine West®, Eddie Bauer®, Spyder®, Volcom®, Shark®, Tretorn®, Prince®, Airwalk®, Izod®, Jones New York®, Van Heusen®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Arrow® and Thomasville®. *Pending acquisition in Q2 2023.
For more information, visit authentic.com.
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About PDS Limited:
PDS Limited is a global fashion infrastructure platform offering product development, sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution for major brands and retailers worldwide. The Company operates a vast global network covering over 50 offices in 22 countries, with over 3,300 associates and 7,600 factory associates worldwide handling over $2 billion of Gross Merchandise Value. PDS also offers a bespoke end-to-end outsourcing solution, engaging dedicated talent and infrastructure as an extended arm of retailers and brands. PDS fuels invention in the fashion and retail value chain through its venture arm, investing in innovative technology and solutions with sustainability & circularity at their core.
PDS is listed on leading stock exchanges in India, BSE Ltd. (Scrip Code: 538730) and the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (Scrip Code: PDSL).
For more information visit http://www.pdsltd.com
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About AARC
AARC is a the dedicated retail and ecommerce operating partner for the Ted Baker brand in the UK and Europe. The company is a subsidiary of Amarla, one of the largest boutique retailers operating in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Amarla operates and introduces brands in EMEA, uniquely customizing the retail experience to fit each brand’s DNA and the needs of their customers.
About Ted Baker
Founded over three decades, Ted Baker is recognized as one of the fastest-growing brands in the UK, displaying a commitment to its inherent authenticity, exploration and inclusivity. Beginning as a menswear line, today Ted Baker offers a wide range of contemporary designer must-haves and reinvented classics across a variety of categories including menswear, womenswear, accessories, footwear, homeware and beauty. The brand continues to introduce modern interpretations of iconic product staples such as The Rose Coat, The Icon Bag and The Darcell Bag. Ted Baker brand is available in 191 freestanding stores, shop-in-shops, and outlets in 49 countries worldwide.
For more information, visit tedbaker.com.
Follow Ted Baker on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Contacts:
UK and Europe: Powerscourt
Victoria Palmer Moore
Oliver Banks
oliver.banks@powerscourt-group.com
US and Rest of World: Authentic Brands Group
Haley Steinberg
Giana Elenterio