British fashion/lifestyle retailer FatFace has partnered with professional netball team London Pulse to boost both female sport and style.
The “transformative” three-year lead brand sponsorship is a collaboration that champions the “power of female sport, style, community and inclusivity”, the pair added.
With the brand name emblazoned on the team’s shirts, the promotion will gain televised exposure via Sky Sports and BBC Sport coverage of the Netball Super League, where the partnership “will elevate the visibility of netball and FatFace to diverse audiences across the UK”.
The partnership will also focus on providing access to opportunities for young women and girls, and “create lasting impact both on and off the court”. It will “amplify women’s sport” across social platforms, broadcast channels, and live events, “supercharging the fan experience like never before”.
The wider programme includes game-day experiences with match-day activations, exclusive giveaways, and a VIP hospitality experience.
FatFace and London Pulse will also host events across London and the South of England “celebrating sport, community, and style” and will include digital engagement with media campaigns and activations “to connect fans with the players and brand stories”.
Keely Stocker, marketing and e-commerce director of FatFace, which operates 189 UK stores, said: “London Pulse [is] a team that is really making waves in the women’s sport sector, alongside giving opportunities to young women and girls to join the community.
“The work that London Pulse are doing aligns perfectly with our values and FatFace is proud to be part of a partnership that champions style, inclusivity and the power of female sport.”
Sam Bird, CEO and head coach of London Pulse, added: “FatFace’s passion for community and inclusivity mirrors our own, and together we’re ready to inspire the next generation of athletes and fans.”
Canadian design company Arc’teryx announced on Thursday the appointment of Matt Bolte as chief merchandising officer, as well as Marissa Pardini as general manager, and Ben Stubbington as creative director of the company’s Veilance brand.
Bolte brings nearly 35 years of retail leadership experience across global markets to Arc’teryx. He previously served as a partner at ThenWhat, focusing on brand consulting and launching innovative apparel brands. Prior to that, he had a 17-year tenure at Nike including key roles in product and merchandising across men’s performance and sportswear categories in multiple regions.
In his new position, Bolte will oversee the strategic direction of merchandising, planning, and business development across all product categories.
“Matt’s deep expertise in executing complex, global merchandising strategies and extensive industry experience will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our leadership position in both our technical outdoor and premium apparel businesses,” said Stuart Haselden, CEO of Arc’teryx.
“Over the past year, the merchandising team has undergone a transformative journey. With Matt’s deep understanding of merchandising and his passion for the Arc’teryx brand, he is an excellent fit for this role.”
Meanwhile, Pardini joins Arc’teryx from Vans, where she most recently served as chief product and merchandising officer. In this role, she oversaw the global apparel and footwear product functions, helping drive Vans’ direct-to-consumer sales past the $1 billion mark. Pardini’s experience also includes leadership roles at The North Face and Bloomingdale’s.
As general manager of Veilance, Pardini will lead the brand’s global strategy, ensuring continued alignment with its mission to deliver precision-engineered apparel for urban environments.
Lastly, Stubbington brings nearly 20 years of design leadership experience to Veilance. He previously served as senior vice president of design for Lululemon, where he oversaw men’s, men’s and women’s Lab, and overarching creative direction for the business. Prior to that, Stubbington was creative director for Theory’s men’s division for nearly eight years. He is also a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Stubbington will oversee Veilance’s creative direction, shaping its product offerings and brand identity.
“The addition of Marissa and Ben to our Veilance team marks a pivotal moment in our journey as we double down on our commitment to innovation and excellence with this unique line in the Arc’teryx collection,” added Haselden. “Their combined leadership and innovative thinking will be instrumental in elevating Veilance as a leader in the performance luxury space.”
French luxury group Kering announced on Thursday it had sold 100% of its Italian The Mall Luxury Outlets to U.S. real estate investor Simon, generating some €350 million in net proceeds as part of a wider plan to restructure its real estate portfolio.
Kering’s brands will maintain a presence in the two sites, located near Florence and Sanremo, the company said.
E-commerce firm ESW announced on Thursday the appointment of Tonia Luykx as chief revenue officer.
Luykx replaces Martim Avillez Oliveira, and will be based in ESW’s Dublin headquarters. She will report directly to ESW chief executive officer, Eric Eichmann.
With more than 20 years of expertise in sales and leadership, Luykx joins ESW from Xeneta, a freight intelligence and analytics platform, where she served as CRO. Prior to Xeneta, the executive held positions of increasing importance at Sift, the AI-powered security platform, where she was most recently vice president of global sales and interim CRO. She was also head of Amazon Pay Ireland for Amazon Pay UK and Ireland, and head of strategic accounts for Dropbox in the UK and Ireland.
Earlier in her career she was country sales manager for Google Enterprise Ireland, and Microsoft Dynamics sales manager for Logica UK. She began her career at SAP Business Development.
“Tonia’s extensive international experience leading strategic planning, marketing, customer success and sales for some of the world’s top businesses makes her the perfect candidate to fill this role,” said Eichmann.
“Her leadership skills and deep knowledge of enterprise solutions encompassing shipping, payments, fraud and customer service will benefit the entire organization as we expand into new business verticals and markets.”
ESW offers brands solutions that reduce cross-border complexity, localizing the online shopping experience to increase conversions and loyalty while also taking on the complications of doing business in international markets.