Australia’s Munro Footwear Group has expanded its wholesale business, adding the American shoe brand Rockport to its mix through an exclusive licensing deal with Authentic Brands Group for the next five years.
It comes a year since the brand’s parent company Rockport Group underwent voluntary restructuring under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The brand was then acquired by Authentic Brands Group, adding to the group’s already extensive list of managed brands, including Australian-born surfing labels Quiksilver and Billabong.
As the brand’s new partner, Munro Footwear will be responsible for its distribution across Australia and New Zealand.
“Expanding Rockport’s global distribution is an important part of our acquisition strategy,” Authentic’s SVP and head of AU/NZ Lim Mi-Kyoung said.
“By connecting iconic and global brands with best-in-class partners, Authentic optimises long-term value within important marketplaces throughout the world.
“MFG is the perfect distribution partner for Rockport in Australia and New Zealand - not only for their wholesale capabilities but also for their inherent connection to the brand, as they themselves are a long-term Rockport customer through their Styletread and Mountfords businesses.
“MFG understands the opportunities that the brand presents, and we look forward to working very closely with them to bring the brand to new heights throughout the region.”
Headquartered in Melbourne, Munro Footwear Group is the parent company of several wholly owned entities operating in Australia. This includes retail businesses such as Mathers and Williams, and online operations such as Diana Ferrari and Colorado.
The Rockport brand will sit amongst the eight other wholesale brands under Munro Footwear, which primarily focuses on internally designed brands such as Bobux, Ziera and Django & Juliette.
“Beyond granting us access to new wholesale customers, the introduction of Rockport to our wholesale business provides an excellent opportunity to expand our men’s business while giving us direct access to the best styles from around the world,” Munro Footwear Group chief product officer Bill Munro said.
MFG’s immediate priority is to restock Rockport’s classics before Christmas, build and relaunch a new e-commerce website, and start curating the Winter 25 ranges.
“We will also work closely with the existing Rockport customers to better understand their needs and explore opportunities within the men's and women’s ranges,” Munro said.
The distribution license was officially granted on Thursday, 25 July 2024, and existing Rockport customers were informed on Wednesday, 7 August.
“We anticipate being able to share more information in the coming weeks,” Munro said.
Rockport was born in 1971 and has since expanded its presence across more than 60 countries.