News
June 12, 2008
HANG TEN BRAND APPAREL EXCLUSIVELY AT KOHL'S
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis., June 12, 2008 – Kohl’s Corporation
(NYSE:KSS) and American Brand Holdings today announced a licensing
agreement naming Kohl’s as the exclusive U.S. retailer for Hang
Ten on a wide variety of merchandise. Hang Ten, a California lifestyle
collection for young shoppers, will include apparel and accessories and
launch spring 2009 in nearly 240 Kohl’s stores and Kohls.com,
ultimately expanding to all stores nationwide. Kohl’s also
announced an agreement with Quiksilver (NYSE:ZQK) to design the
collection and its packaging.
“This partnership strengthens our position in the
sportswear category. From our successful Tony Hawk brand, to FILA
SPORT, which will launch this fall, and now Hang Ten, we continue to
broaden our appeal to young shoppers through relevant lifestyle
merchandising,” said Kevin Mansell, president of Kohl’s
Corporation. “We are committed to offering exclusive brands at
great values, further differentiating us in the marketplace.”
Hang Ten, developed in the early ‘60s by surfer
Duke Boyd, is the original surf brand and the inventor of the beach and
surf wear category. The new collection will feature Hang Ten’s
distinctive footprint logo and include fun, trend-right merchandise for
juniors’, young men’s, boys’ 8-20, girls’ 7-16
and girls’ 4-6x.
“We are thrilled to be able to combine the iconic
two feet of Hang Ten with the extraordinary vision and reach of
Kohl’s,” said Frederick J. Horowitz, partner, American
Brand Holdings. “Working together with Kohl’s, we look
forward to bringing the fun and excitement of the original surf brand
to millions of boys and girls, teens and their moms and dads.
Kohl’s truly understands the full potential of the Hang Ten
lifestyle and we are excited by their commitment to create a line of
products ranging from clothing to accessories.”
As one of the world’s leading outdoor sports
lifestyle companies, Quiksilver will leverage its expertise to design
Hang Ten apparel and accessories for Kohl’s. The
Kohl’s/Quiksilver partnership builds on the existing relationship
of the strong-performing Tony Hawk action sportswear brand, which was
launched in 2006.
Marty Samuels, president of Quiksilver Americas
commented, “We are excited to extend our partnership with
Kohl’s to design the new Hang Ten collection as the active sports
lifestyle continues to grow. Our team will bring its unique vision to
Hang Ten and focus on a creative style which is both authentic and
innovative, characteristics which are important to young people when
making their buying decisions.”
Kohl’s will lead the manufacturing, production,
distribution and marketing of the brand and collaborate with Quiksilver
for the collection’s design and packaging.
The Hang Ten brand is a natural addition to Kohl’s
existing line-up of exclusive and private brands and comes on the heels
of recent announcements like Dana Buchman, FILA SPORT, Bobby Flay and successful launches like Simply Vera Vera Wang and Food Network.
Pasadena based Miramar Brands Group, Inc.
Exclusively represented American Brands, LLC/Hang Ten in the
transaction.
About Kohl’s
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a
family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering
moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes,
accessories and beauty, and home products in an exciting shopping
environment. Kohl’s operates 957 stores in 47 states and will
celebrate the opening of its 1,000th store in the fall. A company
committed to the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more
than $102 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through
its Kohl’s Cares for Kids® philanthropic program. For a list
of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of
shopping online, visit www.kohls.com.
About ABH
American Brand Holdings (ABH) is a leader in the discovery, acquisition
and marketing of iconic consumer brands. ABH specializes in
reintroducing and repositioning orphaned iconic brands to new consumers
and new markets through licensing, manufacturing and distribution
strategies. Among its holdings, ABH owns the intellectual property
rights to the world famous, original surf band, “Hang Ten”
for the United States and Canada.
About
Miramar Brands Group
Privately
held, Pasadena, California based Miramar Brands Group, Inc. (MIRAMAR), with
offices in Montreal, New York and Paris, is a world leader in the
licensing, brand management and representation of established consumer
brands globally. MIRAMAR ’s executives efforts and expertise
have directly led to the generation of over five (5) Billion USD in
annual retail sales of licensed products globally. MIRAMAR’s
leading clients include, among others: Lagardère Active
Media (Bourse: LGA.PA), Hachette Filipacchi Media (Paris), Hachette
Filipacchi Media (US), ELLE, Road & Track, Car and Driver, American
Brand Holdings, Hang Ten, Quiksilver’s (Nasdaq: ZQK) Tony Hawk
Clothing brand and its Hawk Designs, Inc. subsidiary, Russell
Corporation, owned by Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A and BRK.B) and
its Spalding division, Design Within Reach (Nasdaq: DWR), The Rays
Group’s Split Clothing, Con Surfboards, Maui and Sons and others.
Among its holdings, MIRAMAR owns the worldwide intellectual property
rights to the “King of the Beach ®,” and “Havuk
®” brands. MIRAMAR’s global retail partners for
brands it owns or represents include among others, Kohl’s
Department Stores (NYSE: KSS), Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS),
Target Stores (NYSE: TGT), Wal*Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT), The Sports
Authority , Sport Chalet (Nasdaq:SPCHA), Academy Sports, Big Five
Sporting Goods (Nasdaq: BGFE), Costco (Nasdaq:COST), Chicks Sporting
Goods and other leading specialty stores and chains throughout the
world.
About Quiksilver
Quiksilver, Inc. (NYSE:ZQK) is the world’s leading outdoor sports
lifestyle company, which designs, produces and distributes a
diversified mix of branded apparel, wintersports equipment, footwear,
accessories and related products. The Company’s apparel and
footwear brands represent a casual lifestyle for young-minded people
that connect with its boardriding culture and heritage.
The reputation of Quiksilver’s brands is based on
different outdoor sports. The Company’s Quiksilver, Roxy, DC and
Hawk brands are synonymous with the heritage and culture of surfing,
skateboarding and snowboarding, and its beach and water oriented
swimwear brands include Raisins, Radio Fiji and Leilani. The Company
continues to make snowboarding equipment under its DC, Roxy, Lib
Technologies, Gnu and Bent Metal labels.
The Company’s products are sold in over 90
countries in a wide range of distribution, including surf shops, skate
shops, snow shops, its proprietary Boardriders Club shops and other
company-owned retail stores, other specialty stores and select
department stores. Quiksilver’s corporate and Americas’
headquarters are in Huntington Beach, California, while its European
headquarters are in St. Jean de Luz, France, and its Asia/Pacific
headquarters are in Torquay, Australia.