Authentic signs new Ted Baker partners

Dive Brief:

• Authentic Brands Group is partnering with United Legwear & Apparel Co., Peerless Clothing and BCI Brands on Ted Baker licenses for the U.S. and Canada, the company announced Thursday.
• United Legwear & Apparel Co. will design and manufacture men’s sportswear, golf and denim for the brand, per the release. The licensee will also manage all wholesale and concession shops and Ted Baker e-commerce sites in the U.S. and Canada.
• Peerless signed a long-term agreement with Authentic to design and manufacture tailored clothing, dress shirts and outerwear. BCI Brands will become a strategic design and development partner for women’s denim, sportswear and dresses.

Dive Insight:

Further details regarding additional Ted Baker global partner networks are expected in the coming months, Authentic said in the release.

“Establishing a new and vibrant core business in the US and Canada is an essential building block for the revitalization of this brand,” Jarrod Weber, Authentic’s global president of sports and lifestyle, said in the release.

The new licensing partners are expected to help extend Ted Baker’s presence across the U.S. and Canada as well as “foster strong connections with key retailers and consumers,” per the release.

Peerless already produces menswear production for other Authentic brands including Vince, Van Heusen, Shaquille O’Neal and Hickey Freeman. Additional Peerless clients include Capri Holdings-owned Michael Kors and PVH-owned Calvin Klein.

“Peerless has a remarkable ability to develop tailored clothing in the right fit and price point for every brand they become associated with,” Weber said. “They continue to demonstrate their end-to-end solution capabilities to the market through our existing partnerships across Authentic’s brands.”

BCI is also an existing Authentic partner for the Vince Camuto brand, and Weber said the new womenswear would drive growth for the Ted Baker brand.

United Legwear & Apparel Co. is a joint venture partner with Puma North America, per the release, and has distribution partnerships with Scotch & Soda and Hurley. It also maintains licensed brands including Skechers, Van Heusen, DKNY and Champion, and owns Pro Player and Lemon, plus a portfolio of private-label brands.

Authentic acquired the Ted Baker brand in 2022.

The new license agreements come about two months after Ted Baker operators in the U.S. and Canada filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy.

In the insolvency filings, Antoine Adams, director and corporate secretary of Ted Baker in both countries, said Authentic’s “operating partners in Europe and elsewhere” had failed to pay Ted Baker suppliers.