Press Release:
Adidas announces swim license
Herzogenaurach, July 16, 2012 – adidas today announced its US licensee in the swimming category: Manhattan Beachwear, Inc. As a leading manufacturer of swimwear in the US, Manhattan Beachwear will leverage its expertise to extend adidas’ market footprint in the swimwear industry. Under the agreement, California-based Manhattan Beachwear will distribute all adidas performance swimwear in the United States.
“We’re thrilled to unite adidas’ heritage in the sportswear industry with Manhattan’s swimming-specific expertise in manufacturing, retail distribution and sourcing,” said Kara Enger-Marten, adidas’ Business Unit Director for Swim, Slides & Accessories. “adidas has been a pioneer in swimwear technology for many years – in fact, we’ve just launched our latest creation! Not only is adizero gld2o the lightest swimsuit adidas has ever produced, it also absorbs less water during competition too. In partnership with Manhattan Beachwear, we will continue to adapt our swimwear technology and push the boundaries of performance in the sport,” said Kara.
The first adidas swimwear products under this licensing agreement will be available at retail starting January 2013, with two distinct collections being offered for Men and for Women. adidas Pool will cater to the high performance swimmer and team-sports dealers, while adidas Beach will cater to the fashion swimwear market. Both Pool and Beach will offer time-honoured swimwear bodies and introduce new, innovative silhouettes, colours, and prints.
“adidas is among the most recognizable brands in the world, and this agreement gives Manhattan a fantastic opportunity to leverage that recognition. We’re looking forward to working with adidas to create innovative swimwear to help swimmers of all levels to reach their potential,” said Kim Wagenaar, Manhattan’s Vice President Sales & Merchandising for adidas swimwear.
adidas already holds contracts with other licensees for sports such as wrestling, boxing, table tennis, martial arts and taekwondo.
About the adidas Group
The adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry, offering a broad range of products around the core brands: adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade, Rockport and Reebok-CCM Hockey. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has more than 46,000 employees and generated sales of over €13.3 billion in 2011.
About Manhattan Beachwear Inc.
The largest manufacturer of women’s fashion swimwear in the U.S., Manhattan Beachwear is nearing US$550 million in sales volume. Manhattan Beachwear has a mixed roster of proprietary brands and holds the licenses for several of the most sought after labels in the marketplace. In addition to brand label business, the company has a significant private label business.
