Outdoor Voices is expanding into the United Kingdom and European Union through a partnership with Focus Brands. The active-lifestyle brand, owned by Consortium Brand Partners, said Focus Brands will lead development and distribution in those markets, initially concentrating on wholesale and e-commerce. The move is Outdoor Voices’ second overseas region, following its recent entry into Korea, China and Southeast Asia, and supports Consortium’s aim to establish it as a global brand.
Focus Brands is a U.K.-based brand development and distribution platform whose licenses include Nautica, Ellesse, K-Swiss, Patrick and Reebok. Managing director Richard Marshal said the company sees an opportunity to preserve what makes Outdoor Voices distinctive while using its wholesale relationships and e-commerce experience to reach suitable retailers and customers.
Michael DeVirgilio, founding partner of Consortium Brand Partners, said Outdoor Voices has a strong brand identity and a philosophy that resonates beyond its home market. He said Consortium’s strategy is to pair the brand with operating partners that can unlock its potential internationally. Citing continued U.S. growth and the recent Asia expansion, he said Outdoor Voices is on a trajectory to surpass its previous peak in global retail sales by the end of 2027.
Founded by Ty Haney in 2013, Outdoor Voices began in women’s activewear and has emphasized being active in all shapes and forms; its motto is “Doing Things.” Haney, who returned to the brand after the Consortium acquisition, said the U.K. and Europe expansion is a natural extension of the original idea that movement should be fun, accessible and bring people together.
Sources: WWD.