Dive Brief:
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Eddie Bauer has unveiled a new brand typeface, logo and strategy, which will roll out through fall 2024, brand owner Authentic Brands Group said by email.
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The 100-year-old outdoor apparel retailer, which runs more than 250 stores in North America, is also embarking on a “massive global expansion” as key of its growth plans.
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Those plans include a “heightened focus” on wholesale as well, the company said.
Dive Insight:
The single store that Eddie Bauer opened in Seattle more than 100 years ago is now a mall-based outdoor apparel chain with international ambitions.
It’s a familiar playbook for Authentic-owned brands. The platform, which so far this year has added Rockport, Hunter Boots and Boardriders to its stable, has long emphasized global expansion as a pathway to growth. The company in June announced a $500 million primary follow-on investment from current investor General Atlantic, a global growth equity firm, with Authentic CEO Jamie Salter emphasizing the companies’ shared vision for worldwide expansion.
Wholesale is another growth vehicle for Eddie Bauer that has emerged since its intellectual property was taken over by Authentic in 2021. Its operations at the same time were acquired by Sparc Group, an entity co-owned by Authentic and mall REIT Simon Property Group. For example, Eddie Bauer merchandise is now found at Kohl’s and J.C. Penney stores.
Both tactics are well known to Eddie Bauer CEO Tim Bantle, who arrived a year ago from VF Corp., an apparel conglomerate that operates widely across the globe and runs major wholesale operations.
