Authentic Brands Group has signed a long-term franchise partnership with the Asian retail, brand management and distribution company ImagineX Group for its Juicy Couture brand.

The partners plan to establish Juicy Couture as a leading contemporary lifestyle fashion brand in China.

ImagineX, a division of the Lane Crawford Joyce Group, has managed the brand and its distribution in Greater China and South East Asia since 2006 and currently operates more than 80 points of sale in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

The expanded partnership will see ImagineX add more Juicy Couture stores throughout Asia, expand the brand’s reach with new product lines and support further regional growth initiatives.

The next phase of growth for Juicy in the region will focus on brand extensions to create a complete lifestyle brand and an integrated distribution network beyond shopping malls.

Building on the Juicy Couture’s Black Label Collection in Asia, a new footwear collection produced by Steve Madden will launch in 2015 (click here for more details). Intimates and Juicy Couture Girls collections will also be added, with freestanding stores planned in the upcoming years. More than 40 points of sale will be opened in key locations, alongside a major push in e-commerce, with both omni-channel and wholesale online platforms planned.

“We are extremely excited to partner with ImagineX Group to develop Juicy Couture into a true global lifestyle,” says Jamie Salter, chief executive officer and chairman, ABG. “ImagineX has done a fantastic job of building the Juicy brand in Greater China, not only in terms of their focus on retail development but also their contribution to the design, creative and business development teams, which has taken Juicy to where it is today in the Asia market. We are confident that our partnership will capture new opportunities and reach even more Juicy customers in Asia, where Juicy Couture continues to flourish. Our growth plans for Asia are consistent with the evolution of the brand globally, including the unveiling of new concept stores in the U.S. in 2015, new offerings in footwear, intimates and kidswear and exciting developments in fragrance, watches, eyewear and swimwear.” 

“Juicy Couture’s business is thriving in Greater China, and we’re excited to be working with ABG to implement its lifestyle vision,” says Thomson Cheng, managing director, ImagineX. “We see great potential for the brand expanding into the highly prized footwear category, and creating new opportunities in contemporary fashion intimates and girls’ collections that are to date untapped in this market.”