American entrepreneur Tyler Haney is returning to Outdoor Voices, the activewear brand she founded in 2013, in a bold move that coincides with the relaunch of the New York City-based outfit.
Tyler Haney – Outdoor Voices
“I’m so excited to step back into this role as founder, as an owner, and as a partner,” said Haney, in a video posted to the apparel brand’s Instagram on Monday, adding she has been working on a new collection with the brand for the last nine months.
“Over the last nine or so months, we’ve been working on the product — the uniform for doing things — and it has a lot of the same sensibility as original OV in terms of material meant to move, technically credible, functional,” Haney continued in the video. “I think you’re really going to like it.”
As of Monday, the Outdoor Voices Instagram account had been wiped and its website taken down, with a message saying,”Doing new things” emblazoned across the site, with the option for visitors to enter their email address.
A new Outdoor Voices collection will drop August 4.
Haney resigned from her role as CEO in February of 2020 amid financial challenges and reports of conflict between herself and retail magnate Mickey Drexler, who was then chairman of the board at Outdoor Voices.
That same year, Lunya founder Ashley Merrill took over as chair of the brand, before reports began circulating that the company was looking to sell itself in 2022, amid bankruptcy speculation and the shuttering its 15 stores.
Two years later, Consortium Brand Partners acquired Outdoor Voices, following its takeover of Reece Witherspoon’s Draper James, in 2023.
The new Outdoor Voices parent declined to comment on Haney’s return.
