Authentic Brands Group entered into a new long-term agreement with Liberated Brands to be the retail and e-commerce operator for its newly acquired brands Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, Honolua and Boardriders in the U.S. and Canada.
As part of the deal, Liberated also becomes the licensing partner and wholesale distributor in the U.S. and Canada for Billabong, RVCA and Honolua adult sportswear, activewear, swimwear, outerwear, headwear, and base layers, in addition to its current portfolio with Volcom and Spyder.
Liberated became the operating entity for the Volcom brand when Authentic acquired it from Kering in 2019 (read SGB Media‘s coverage here). The company became the new home of the Spyder brand after its acquisition by Authentic.
Todd Hymel, formerly CEO of Action Sports Brands at Kering, leads Liberated Brands as CEO.
“We are honored to step into the role as the key operating partner for this iconic group of brands and take on core categories for Billabong, RVCA and Honolua,” said Hymelin in a release. “This partnership marks an exciting chapter that taps into our company’s commitment to creating distinct brand experiences through product innovation. With a deep-rooted passion for the essence of each brand, we look forward to growing these brands in the U.S., Canada and beyond.”
Authentic said Liberated brings “capabilities in brand building, technical design, specialized retail, athlete ambassador management, action and outdoor sports marketing, and digital expertise.”
Authentic has a minority stake in Liberated.
“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Liberated,” said Nick Woodhouse, president and CMO at Authentic. “As evidenced by their focus on the growth of Volcom and Spyder, Liberated’s unwavering commitment to innovation and community engagement makes them the ideal partner to take on Billabong, RVCA and Honolua, as well as the retail operations for the best lifestyle brands inspired by skate, surf and snow. Together, we look forward to implementing our strategic vision for growth and expanding the brands’ presence in the U.S. and Canada.”
Authentic reported it would announce “additional partners in the coming months and leverage its proprietary platform and expertise to expand the brands across categories and territories.”
Authentic completed the acquisition of Boardriders on September 1.
Authentic hired former Boardriders exec David Brooks as EVP of action and outdoor sports lifestyle (read SGB Media‘s coverage here). Most recently, Brooks was the global general manager of RVCA and Boardriders Partnerships, where Authentic said he “spearheaded various initiatives to unlock new revenue streams that leveraged the value of the Boardriders’ iconic brand portfolio.”
Authentic shared that in his new role, Brooks oversees brand management functions for Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, Element, DC Shoes, VonZipper, Spyder, and Volcom and works from Liberated Brands’ headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA.
Photo courtesy Authentic Brands Group
