Dive Brief:
- As the latest in a series of wholesale announcements, Reebok is teaming up with Macy’s to expand its apparel offering at the department store, according to an Authentic Brands Group press release emailed to Retail Dive.
- The deal covers sportswear and activewear for men’s, women’s and kids, and will be introduced starting next spring. Macy’s will carry a deeper assortment of Reebok apparel both online and in stores, and Reebok will develop exclusive products for the department store.
- “Macy’s is a destination for style and inspiration. Our partnership with ABG will expand our assortment and offer our customers high-quality styles from Reebok apparel in the U.S.,” Sam Archibald, general business manager of apparel at Macy’s, said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
As Reebok settles into new ownership, the brand has been lining up operating partners and expanding wholesale deals with major retailers.
In December, Authentic Brands announced a partnership with JD Group that would put Reebok in more than 2,850 stores across its Finish Line, JD, Shoe Palace and other banners. That deal also involved giving JD Group a broader assortment of Reebok products starting this fall. In February, Reebok likewise expanded its relationship with Foot Locker. Much like the Macy’s partnership, Foot Locker will receive a deeper assortment of Reebok product as part of the deal and will also receive exclusive footwear from the brand starting this fall.
President Matt O’Toole told Retail Dive earlier this year he saw opportunities to expand the brand’s wholesale deals to cover its apparel offering. Macy’s seems to be one of those.
“I think you'll be hearing about a couple of things soon in the U.S. market that expand our apparel footprint with retailers that haven't been a big part of the Reebok story,” O’Toole said.
Reebok’s operations in the U.S. are run by Sparc Group, Authentic Brands’ joint venture with Simon Property Group, which could mean deals with Simon- or Sparc-run retailers in the future. O’Toole told Retail Dive that Sparc’s footprint opens possibilities for Reebok, though he did not specify what those might be. Simon-owned J.C. Penney, for example, has lately been a wholesale favorite for some of Authentic Brands’ other properties.
In announcing the tie-up, Authentic Brands noted that the Macy’s deal furthers its strategy of “assembling a network of leading partners” for the brand “who are committed to offering quality products and upholding the brand’s integrity.” ABG’s Chief Brand Officer Jarrod Weber said Reebok was experiencing a “resurgence” and that “its greatest days” were ahead.
Authentic Brands in March finalized its acquisition of Reebok. In the months leading up to the transition, Reebok announced layoffs of 150 employees and the departure of the brand’s head of creative direction, Kerby Jean-Raymond.
