Brown Shoe Company, Inc. agreed to license its Buster Brown, Sam Edelman and Avia wholesale children's brands to BBC International. The transition of the brands will be phased, beginning immediately and continuing through the first quarter of 2012.
“The licensing of these brands to BBC International represents the next chapter for the Buster Brown, Sam Edelman and Avia children's brands,” said Diane Sullivan, president and chief executive officer of Brown Shoe Company. “BBC International’s strong focus on branded children's footwear makes them the ideal partner.”
“We are honored to be partnering with Diane Sullivan and Brown Shoe Company on this new endeavor,” said Robert Campbell, founder and chairman of BBC International. “BBC is enthusiastic to be able to grow this A-list portfolio of children’s brands globally.”
The brands being licensed to BBC International include the Buster Brown, Sam Edelman and Avia children’s brands. Buster Brown shoes — one of the world's best-known children's brands — have been pleasing children and parents alike with a blend of classic style, quality and comfort for growing feet, since 1904. The Sam Edelman brand was launched in 2004 and quickly emerged as a breakout success in the women’s shoe arena. Sam Edelman’s children’s shoes embody the same refined combination of creative sensibility and playful embellishment as its women’s shoes. Avia was founded in 1979, and as technology advanced, so did the brand. The innovative Avia shoe designs that revolutionized athletic footwear are recreated for its children’s shoes with the same passion and dedication.
Brown Shoe Company's Retail division operates Famous Footwear, a leading family branded footwear destination with over 1,100 stores nationwide and e-commerce site FamousFootwear.com, approximately 260 specialty retail stores in the U.S., Canada, and China primarily under the Naturalizer brand name, and footwear e-tailer shoes.com. Through its wholesale divisions, Brown Shoe Company designs and markets leading fashion and athletic footwear brands including Naturalizer, Dr. Scholl's, LifeStride, Sam Edelman, Franco Sarto, Via Spiga, Vince, Etienne Aigner, Vera Wang, Avia and rykä.
BBC International has secured many recognized children’s licenses such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Guess, Born, DKNY and entertainment brands such as Marvel, Sesame, Warner Bros. and Disney.
