Tommy Hilfiger takes back shoe licences
With effect from January 1, 2009, US fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger Group is retracting its men's and women's footwear license from Stride Rite, which was bought by Collective Brands last year. Stride Rite will continue as a licensee for the group's children's shoe line until December 2009.
The decision is said to be mutual, and the companies have worked together for more than 10 years, with Stride Rite serving as the exclusive licensee of the Tommy Hilfiger footwear brand in the US. The existing license was set to expire at the end of this year.
According to CEO, Fred Gehring, "bringing the US footwear business in-house as well will allow us to benefit from global economies of scale and further brand alignment."
Stride Rite will deliver the footwear collection for 2008 and several of its workers that have been directly involved with the Tommy Hilfiger business will join the newly created Tommy Hilfiger Footwear division, reporting to Anne Marino, president of Tommy Hilfiger Licensing.
