Authentic Brands Group (ABG) announced the transition of its core licenses for Spyder to Liberated Brands, the parent of Volcom surf and skateboard label.

Through the long-term agreement, Liberated Brands will assume outerwear and apparel sourcing, product design, marketing, wholesale, e-commerce, and retail store operations in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, U.K., Russia, and select territories in the European Union.

Liberated Brands is a strategic partnership between ABG and the Volcom management team. In 2019, the newly formed Liberated Brands acquired Volcom from Kering with ABG taking a minority stake. Liberated Brands is led by Todd Hymel, formerly CEO of Action Sports Brands at Kering.

Liberated Brands intends to leverage the expertise and know-how it has built over the last decade with Volcom to continue the expansion of Spyder into a full four-season business and broaden its global footprint.

Spyder has been the exclusive official apparel partner of the U.S. Ski Team since 1989, and Volcom signed on as the official apparel partner of the U.S. snowboarding team in 2019. Hymel said, “As brands with deep roots in active and outdoor, there are a lot of synergies between Spyder and Volcom in terms of design innovation, distribution, content creation, and athlete alliances.”

Spyder’s business operations will transition to Liberated Brands and the Spyder team will continue to be headquartered in Boulder, CO.

Spyder is currently available in over 150 direct-to-consumer global outlets including department stores, sporting goods stores and specialty retailers in North America, Europe, Middle East, South Korea, and China.

ABG also plans to appoint new license partners for Frye, with an initial focus on securing a footwear partner with the expertise to uphold the brand’s long-term strategy and legacy. ABG said it believes that with consumers’ renewed interest in Western culture, Frye’s heritage and products would translate into lifestyle categories. ABG’s goal is to continue to place an emphasis on Frye’s position in footwear, small leather goods, accessories, hosiery, and outerwear while expanding into apparel, workwear and home, and grow the brand’s Frye & Co. and Frye Supply labels.

ABG’s portfolio of brands includes Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, Shaquille O’Neal, Dr. J, Greg Norman, Neil Lane, Thalia, Sports Illustrated, Eddie Bauer, Spyder, Volcom, Airwalk, Nautica, Forever 21, Aéropostale, Juicy Couture, Vince Camuto, Lucky Brand, Nine West, Jones New York, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Adrienne Vittadini, Tretorn, Tapout, Prince, Vision Street Wear, Brooks Brothers, Barneys New York, Judith Leiber, Herve Leger, Frye, Hickey Freeman, Hart Schaffner Marx, Thomasville, Drexel and Henredon. ABG recently agreed to acquire Izod, Van Heusen and Arrow from PVH Corp.

Photo courtesy Spyder