Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a global brand owner, marketing and entertainment company, today announces the transition of its core licenses for Spyder, a leading active lifestyle brand, to Liberated Brands. Through the long-term agreement, Liberated Brands will assume outerwear and apparel sourcing, product design, marketing, wholesale, e-commerce and retail store operations across the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, U.K., Russia and select territories in the European Union.

“We’re excited to be partnering with Liberated Brands on Spyder. We’ve had a successful three-year relationship with them growing Volcom’s presence around the world and look forward to continuing the process with Spyder,” said Corey Salter, COO of ABG.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Spyder to the Liberated Brands operation,” said Todd Hymel, CEO of Liberated Brands. “Together with ABG, our shared vision is to expand the robust Spyder universe to further encompass all omnichannel touchpoints, from digital and e-commerce to traditional bricks and mortar, while continuing to offer customers the ultimate shopping experience.”

Liberated Brands is a strategic partnership between ABG and the Volcom management team. As the dedicated operating platform for Volcom, one of the most iconic brands in surf, skate and snow, Liberated Brands brings unparalleled capabilities in brand building, technical design, specialized retail, athlete ambassadors, action sports marketing and e-commerce. They also operate over 100 Volcom-branded stores around the world.

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. Todd Hymel continued, “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, Colorado.

Spyder is currently available in over 150 direct-to-consumer retail outposts globally as well as department stores, sporting goods stores and specialty retailers throughout North America, Europe, Middle East, South Korea and China.

In addition to the strategic move for Spyder, 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.

Established in 1863, Frye has inspired generations with its iconic silhouettes, fine craftsmanship and uncompromising quality. ABG believes that with consumers’ renewed interest in Western culture, Frye’s unique heritage and enduring products have the ability to translate into a variety of lifestyle categories. ABG’s goal is to continue to place an emphasis on Frye’s leading position in footwear, small leather goods, accessories, hosiery and outerwear, while expanding into apparel, workwear and home, as well as growing the brand’s Frye & Co. and Frye Supply labels.

About Authentic Brands Group

Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is a brand development, marketing and entertainment company, which owns a portfolio of global media, entertainment and lifestyle brands. Headquartered in New York City, ABG elevates and builds the long-term value of more than 30 consumer brands and properties by partnering with best-in-class manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Its brands have a global retail footprint across the luxury, specialty, department store, mid-tier, mass and e-commerce channels and in more than 6,000 freestanding stores and shop-in-shops around the world.

ABG is committed to transforming brands by delivering compelling product, content, business and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media. ABG’s portfolio of iconic and world-renowned 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®, Izod®*, Forever 21®, Aéropostale®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Nine West®, Jones New York®, Frederick’s of Hollywood®, Adrienne Vittadini®, Van Heusen®*, Arrow®*, 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®. Pending acquisition in Q3 2021*.

For more information, visit authenticbrands.com.

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