The parent company managing brands such as Spendless Shoes, Novo and now Rivers has scored a new license deal with Clarks.
From January 1, 2026, The Shoe Group will run the distribution of Clarks across Australia. This comes after Brand Collective decided not to renew its contract with the English-born footwear brand following a strategic review.
Clarks was born in 1825 in Somerset, England, when brothers Cyrus and James Clark made a slipper from sheepskin cut-offs. The brand has since expanded into a global business operating retail, wholesale, franchise, and online channels in over 100 markets.
Talking in the new deal, The Shoe Group’s GM of the MAPM division, Matt McDowell – who looks after the likes of Wild Rhino, Nude Footwear and Sayso – said Clarks is celebrating its bicentennial year in 2025.
“That’s 200 years of shoemaking heritage and expertise, and we are excited to be working with Clarks to grow the brand in Australia through our well-established retail network,” McDowell said.
The Shoe Group was founded in 2016, and now represents 17 footwear brands and retailers across Australia and New Zealand, including Spendless Shoes, Novo and Jo Mercer. The business has recently announced plans to acquire the collapsed Wittner business and, according to McDowell, has also snapped up the intellectual property of Rivers following the collapse of its parent company Mosaic Brands last year with plans to relaunch the brand ahead.
The Shoe Group manages a network of over 400 retail locations, a team of more than 2,000 employees, and support offices based in Melbourne and Adelaide.
Clarks GM for Southeast Asia and AU/NZ Raymond Chew said he and his team are delighted to join forces with The Shoe Group, adding they have extensive experience in retail and the footwear industry, and a strong understanding of the Australian consumer.
“We look forward to working with them to continue the growth of the Clarks brand in Australia and to bring our shoemaking expertise to new and existing customers in Australia,” Chew said.