Authentic acquired Hunter in June this year and said the wellington boot brand "introduced another elevated global brand to Authentic’s diverse Lifestyle portfolio".
Its collaboration with Chinese, digital and e-commerce solutions provider Baozun is set to propel the growth of Hunter, the iconic British heritage brand acclaimed for its timeless Original Wellington boot, in Asia.
As part of the deal, Baozun has acquired a 51% equity interest in Hunter's intellectual property rights throughout Greater China and Southeast Asia.
In January, Baozun secured the franchise rights to operate Gap Inc's China business.
The Chinese company was one of many firms competing to bid for Hunter back in May before Authentic acquired it the following month.
The partnership takes shape through a newly established subsidiary, ABG Hunter LLC, under the umbrella of Authentic.
Under this arrangement, Baozun will undertake the responsibility of designing, manufacturing, marketing, and distributing Hunter's array of products exclusively in the Greater China region.
The license agreement will be assigned by ABG Hunter LLC to Hunter IP Holdco as the licensor across the region.
Founder, chairman, and CEO of Authentic, Jamie Salter, commented on the collaboration, stating: “We are thrilled to partner with Baozun to grow Hunter in this important region. This strategic move is in line with our strategy to think global and act local. By partnering with Baozun, we are able to combine our expertise in brand management with their deep understanding of the local market nuances and cultural trends.”
Vincent Qiu, chairman, and CEO of Baozun, echoed Salter's enthusiasm regarding the partnership and added: “This marks another milestone in our transformation where all three business lines will cooperate together to deliver an extraordinary suite of services to leading global brand companies in China and other Asian markets.”
In the same month, Authentic secured approval for the acquisition of Rockport, a US footwear brand.
