Marquee Brands, the owner of Ben Sherman, has signed a deal with MRH SpaRotica Groupé to bring the men’s wear brand to Greater China.
The agreement includes mainland China, the Macau SAR, Taiwan and Hong Kong SAR and marks the latest agreement inked by Marquee as it continues to roll out distribution of the British-themed brand internationally. Marquee bought the brand in June of 2015.
The deal with MRH includes off-line and online distribution and manufacturing as well as a series of monobranded Ben Sherman retail locations all targeted to the Chinese Millennial consumer. The retail rollout will begin with five doors that will open before the end of the year and at least another 30 in the next several years. The first unit will open by August in Shanghai, closely followed by Jiangsu, Hubei, Hunan and Sichan.
“Ben Sherman’s 50-plus years of British style and culture demonstrate the brand’s ability to stand the test of time,” said Richard Kisembo, president and chief executive officer of MRH: “Our partnership with Marquee Brands is inspired by Ben Sherman’s iconoclast status amongst heritage brands. Heritage and culture continue to be a motivating factor in brands that have the ability to move generations at retail, a key factor to success in China. We are keenly focused on shaping the landscape of fashion brands in Greater China and we are thrilled that Marquee Brands shares a unified vision of the inherent opportunity for Ben Sherman in this market.”
Michael DeVirgilio, president of Marquee Brands, added, “Ben Sherman is a global brand celebrated for its fashion and authentic British sensibility across every international market. Today’s young Chinese consumer has become more global and sophisticated with each passing year and demand for Ben Sherman is high. We are excited to launch in this important market with MRH as our partners and continue to build this iconic brand together.”