Global brand management company Bluestar Alliance has signed Atomic Fashion Marketing to be the new licensee for its just-acquired Dickies brand.
This comes months after Australian footwear conglomerate Accent Group was named the next licensee for the brand. A few months later, Dickies – an American workwear brand – was sold by its now-former owner, VF Corporation, to Bluestar Alliance for US$600 million cash. This led to the end of the deal with Accent Group.
Bluestar Alliance now manages 17 brands, including the likes of Scotch & Soda, Hurley and Bebe. Through these brands, Bluestar generates more than US$13 billion in global sales.
According to the company, Dickies is poised for accelerated global growth and category expansion through Bluestar’s “expansive network of licensees”.
Atomic Fashion Marketing has managed Dickies as its flagship brand for nearly 15 years across Australia and New Zealand. The marketing and distribution company also holds licenses of Von Dutch, Santa Cruz, Stan Ray, Fitflop and Independent Truck Company.
Bluestar Alliance noted that Atomic had initially secured the Dickies license directly from the founding family.
Under its stewardship, Atomic broadened Dickies’ category offering, notably establishing womenswear and a tops range. Bluestar added that Atomic had evolved the Dickies heritage brand, primarily driven by pants, into one where tops represented nearly half of sales globally.
"Partnering with licensees who have demonstrated success in their markets is central to our global strategy for Dickies," Bluestar Alliance COO Ralph Gindi said.
"Atomic has played a defining role in establishing Dickies as a cultural staple across Australia and New Zealand, and we look forward to building on this strong foundation together."
Dickies was founded in 1922 in the state of Texas. The brand began selling bib overalls before expanding into work pants and work shirts, and then offering a full line of pants, shirts, jeans, outerwear, scrubs, tactical, and mechanic uniforms.
In the next chapter of its partnership, Atomic is expected to continue delivering Dickies product anchored in the brand's workwear roots, with a range crafted specifically for the region.
Bluestar manages over 600 licensees and a growing network of over 500 branded retail stores across North America, Europe, Australia, South America, India, Asia, the Middle East, and the United Arab Emirates.