Authentic acquires British brand Hunter's intellectual property

The Hunter brand has evolved from a rubber boot to a lifestyle brand, offering an expansive footwear collection, outerwear, bags, and accessories designed for outdoor performance in both rural and urban environments. With seasonal introductions of fresh new styles and colourways inspired by the brand’s strong DNA, Hunter has cemented its position as the ‘welly of choice’ among outdoor enthusiasts, celebrities, and fashion trendsetters alike, Authentic and Hunter said in a joint press release.

“We are excited to finalise the acquisition of Hunter, an original footwear and outerwear pioneer,” said Jamie Salter, founder, chairman, and CEO of Authentic. “At the intersection of fashion and outdoor, Hunter introduces another elevated global brand to Authentic’s diverse lifestyle portfolio. We are also pleased to expand our relationships with two long-standing Authentic partners, Batra Group and Marc Fisher, each of whom has a proven track record of unparalleled expertise in product development across a range of categories and an established network of prominent retailers. We will look forward to working with them and our greater partner network to continue growing the Hunter brand.”

The Batra Group (Batra) is a highly diversified global organisation based in the UK with expertise in product development, design, sourcing, and distribution. Through this new partnership with Authentic, Batra will become the core licensee in the UK and continental Europe. Batra will be responsible for designing and developing Hunter footwear, apparel, and accessories and operating Hunter’s branded retail stores, wholesale distribution, and e-commerce in those territories.

Authentic has also signed an agreement with trusted US-based partner Marc Fisher Footwear, a leading full-service fashion footwear company. Marc Fisher will be the core footwear partner for Hunter in the US, taking on the brand’s footwear design, wholesale, and e-commerce operations in the territory.

The addition of Hunter drives Authentic’s strategy of diversifying its portfolio with brands that originate from outside of the US. In keeping with its brand-building approach, Authentic will tap its global network of category experts and best-in-class operating partners to accelerate the worldwide expansion of Hunter in the US and Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as key markets across Asia the Pacific region. Additional brand partners are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)