Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) reported that it acquired the intellectual property of the iconic Hunter brand, the British heritage brand known for its iconic Original Wellington boot.
Authentic said that the Hunter brand has evolved over 160-plus years from a rubber boot to a lifestyle brand, offering an expansive footwear collection, outerwear, bags, and accessories suited for rural and urban environments. With seasonal introductions of new styles and colorways, Hunter has cemented its position as the “Welly of choice” among outdoor enthusiasts, celebrities and fashion trendsetters.
“We are excited to finalize the acquisition of Hunter, an original footwear and outerwear pioneer,” said Jamie Salter, founder, chairman and CEO of Authentic. “At the intersection of fashion and outdoor, Hunter introduces another elevated global brand to Authentic’s diverse Lifestyle portfolio. We are also pleased to expand our relationships with two long-standing Authentic partners, Batra Group and Marc Fisher, each of whom has a proven track record of unparalleled expertise in product development across a range of categories and an established network of prominent retailers. We will look forward to working with them and our greater partner network to continue growing the Hunter brand.”
Authentic said the Batra Group (Batra) is a diversified global organization based in the U.K. with expertise in product development, design, sourcing, and distribution. Through this new partnership with Authentic, Batra will become the core licensee in the U.K. and continental Europe. Batra will be responsible for designing and developing Hunter footwear, apparel and accessories and operating Hunter’s branded retail stores, wholesale distribution and e-commerce in those territories.
Authentic further stated that it signed an agreement with U.S.-based partner Marc Fisher Footwear, the fashion footwear company, to be its core footwear partner for Hunter in the U.S., taking on the brand’s footwear design, wholesale and e-commerce operations in the territory.
The addition of Hunter drives Authentic’s strategy of diversifying its portfolio with brands founded outside of the U.S. In keeping with its brand-building approach, Authentic said it would tap its global network to accelerate the worldwide expansion of Hunter in the U.S. and Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, including key markets across the Asia/Pacific region.
Photo courtesy Hunter
