Austin enters new territory

MELBOURNE: Australian apparel wholesaler Austin Group has secured a licensing deal with American denim brand Chip & Pepper.

The embattled group, soon to be renamed Mercury Brands under a major company restructure, is the first to secure a licensing deal with the Los-Angeles headquartered company and will release selected lines across Australia and New Zealand in September.

The licensing deal represents Austin Group's entry into the Australian and New Zealand denim market. Managing director Brendan Santamaria said the group had high hopes for Chip & Pepper's success in the regional market.

"Whilst additional territories are still under negotiation, the initial focus will be the domestic market," he said. "The deal will give Australian and New Zealand consumers the opportunity to buy a premium LA brand at retail prices equivalent to the US."

Launched in Los Angeles in 1987 by identical twins Chip and Pepper Foster, the multi-million dollar brand has strong ties with American celebrity culture, with the Fosters making frequent appearances across media outlets including E! Entertainment and the Style Network. Chip & Pepper is sold through department and specialty stores across 42 countries, along with retail sites in New York, Dallas and Newport Beach, CA.

The Australian line will include men's and women's denim and a selection of vintage tees.

"We are armed with an undeniably hot brand and can confidently enter the denim game with all guns blazing," Santamaria said. "This is an exciting time and illustrates our new direction of building and stocking strong brands."