Unlimited Footwear Group of The Netherlands has signed a deal to produce footwear for Gap Inc. in Europe, in a deal brokered by IMG.
The deal covers the European Union, the UK, Switzerland and Scandinavia.
Founded in 1969 in San Francisco, Gap is a leading casual lifestyle brand in the USA, and Unlimited believes the brand has huge growth potential in Europe as well.
“We are thrilled to add Gap to our licensing portfolio and we look forward to working closely with the Gap team on many footwear collections to come,” said Bart van Helvoirt, CEO Unlimited Footwear Group. “We are committed to leveraging our 30+ years of experience in the footwear industry to continue to grow the Gap brand awareness and international reach.”
Van Helvoirt says Gap is known for its youthful energy, effortless style, and sense of self-expression, with a style admired around the globe for bridging the gap between individuals, generations and cultures.
He also said the upcoming footwear collections will reflect Gap’s values of producing “elevated, well-made and responsibly produced products through iconic casual styles that are clean, confident and accessible.”
The first Gap footwear collection by UFG for men, women and kids is scheduled to launch in Spring/Summer 2023.
“Partnering with licensees such as Unlimited Footwear Group gives us the opportunity to amplify our strong, globally relevant brand and extend its reach to customers around the world,” said Adrienne Gernand, Managing Director of International, Global Licensing and Wholesale at Gap Inc. “Through these licensing partnerships, we are able to grow our non-apparel categories and establish Gap as a lifestyle brand that delivers style for all stages in our customers’ lives.”
Unlimited Footwear Group is a Dutch fashion company primarily active in the fast-fashion footwear industry. With over 30 years of experience, UFG designs, develops distributes and markets shoes for men, women and children. UFG has a very diverse portfolio of its own brands (such as Bullboxer, Rehab, and Gaastra), but also works with licensed brands (such as G-Star, Bjorn Borg, Levi’s and Supertrash), as well as private labels.
In partnership with Gap Inc., UFG’s The Heritage Footwear Company division in Utrecht, part of Unlimited Footwear Group, will manage the Gap Footwear collections. The Heritage Footwear Company plans to launch two collections a year at a mid-price level and will distribute through its international sales network of both multi-brand fashion and sports retail and through wholesale and various online platforms.
UFG’s dedicated Gap team will operate from Utrecht, the Netherlands—a city located near Amsterdam—through UFG´s The Heritage Footwear Company division.
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