Dive Brief:

• Drawing from its past inspiration, Harley-Davidson on March 9 will launch H-D Collections, a curated group of lifestyle apparel lines.
• H-D Collections will launch with three product lines: Bar & Shield by Harley Davidson and Harley Davidson Originals, which will feature new items, and Harley-Davidson Authorized Vintage, which will offer vintage sweatshirts, jackets, vests and leathers, as well as monthly product drops. The brand will also partner with creatives and brands to introduce collections that celebrate motorcycle culture, according to the announcement.
• The company will release the collections online and in various pop-up shops at cultural events and festivals, including one in Austin from March 10–14, per the press release.

Dive Insight:

For the 120-year-old brand, the clothing lines are meant to uplift its history and carry the brand into the next generations.

Creative director of apparel design Louise Goldin oversaw the design of Bar & Shield by Harley Davidson and will introduce and design additional lines and collaborations as H-D Collections evolves, the company said.

“With H-D Collections we’re excited to celebrate two elements of our heritage: design and craftsmanship,” Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz said in a statement. “H-D Collections brings together the many facets of moto-culture lifestyle, paying tribute to our heritage with both Harley-Davidson Originals and Authorized Vintage, while pushing the limits of design, form and function with Bar & Shield.”

Harley-Davidson also appears to be taking a page out of the DTC brand playbook by introducing its new merchandise through pop-up shops. Other brands, including Savage X Fenty, Parachute and Hollister’s Social Tourist, have taken a similar approach over the past year. For digitally native brands once focused on e-commerce, physical retail has become a necessary channel as they look to scale their businesses profitably.