Authentic inks another Ted Baker deal as Aldo wins license

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 4, 2023

If anyone wondered how far Authentic Brands Group would go in turning Ted Baker into a brand based on licensing model, the answer has been coming strongly lately. And that answer is: a very long way. The latest deal is for its footwear and handbags with Aldo Group winning the business. On Thursday Authentic announced the signing of a long-term licensing agreement with Aldo. 

This comes just a week after it emerged that the UK-based Ted baker senior team was leaving and that Authentic has named PDS to establish the Ted Baker Design Group (TDG) as the brand’s global hub for design and innovation, while AARC became the distribution partner for the UK and Europe.

Canada-based Aldo Group is perhaps best known for its signature chain of shoe stores. 

And now the specialist fashion retailer and wholesaler will handle Ted Baker footwear, handbags and small leather goods. It will take on design, production and distribution of the footwear and handbags at wholesale throughout the US and Canada, along with the design, production and distribution of the footwear through the brand’s direct channels, including tedbaker.com and Ted Baker stores worldwide.

Authentic said Aldo will be a “marquee brand partner for Ted Baker,” in its relevant categories starting with the Spring 2024 collection. And it will “work closely with the London-based Ted Baker global design team to develop premium footwear and handbag collections that preserve the brand’s unique design ethos”.

Jarrod Weber, Authentic’s Group President Lifestyle/Chief Brand Officer, talked up Aldo’s “dedication and commitment”, saying it brings “unmatched expertise in footwear and handbags, and we are confident that through this partnership, Ted Baker will continue to deliver the expert design and high-quality products for which the brand is known and loved”.

As mentioned, Aldo is a major player in fashion footwear with the 51-year-old business operating more than 1,500 points of sale in over 100 countries. Authentic said it’s also “a wholesale leader and direct sourcing provider”.

And Jonathan Frankel, President Aldo Product Services at the group, said the new relationship “will unlock the full potential of the Ted Baker brand in the footwear and handbags categories. Ted Baker is a significant partnership for us and as we start our journey together, we plan on drawing from the brand’s vibrant DNA, combining fresh and innovative concepts, to bring the brand to the forefront of the market”.