Authentic Brands Group has announced a new long-term partnership with Experience Group for the Lee label across Europe following its acquisition of the brand that should complete in H2 2026. Authentic’s EMEAI president Henry Stupp said the link-up “is an important step in Lee’s international expansion strategy and reflects the strength of our platform model”.
The deal covers men’s and women’s sportswear, activewear and workwear, and “is designed to strengthen Lee’s presence across wholesale, retail and e-commerce channels while expanding the brand’s reach in key international markets”.
It means Experience Group will be Lee’s operating partner across the continent, “leveraging its regional expertise, operating infrastructure and product capabilities to support the next phase of growth”.
Lee has been sold by Kontoor Brands to Authentic. While the label’s sales were a massive $750 million globally in its last full financial year, that was a 5% drop year on year and down as much as 7% in markets outside the US so there’s clearly plenty for Experience to do to return it to growth.
Thirteen-year-old Experience is a major player in sports and fashion in Europe. Headquartered in Madrid, it operates more than 100 stores in five European countries via a team of 1,000+ employees, its own logistics platform and a distribution network.
Stupp added: “Experience Group brings deep knowledge of the region, proven operating capabilities and a clear understanding of how to build brands across channels. Together, we see a significant opportunity to grow Lee’s presence across Europe while continuing to deliver the products and experiences consumers know and love.”
And Nacho Puig, Experience’s co-founder, highlighted Lee’s “global recognition and strong foundation in denim and lifestyle,” adding that the company will bring Lee’s “denim heritage, craftsmanship and product offering to more consumers across the region while creating new opportunities for the brand’s future.”
Other brand Experience works with include Clarks, Columbia, New Era, Sperry and Consuela.
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