Draper James is making the jump to Europe, thanks to a new strategic partnership the brand has formed with PDS Limited.
The Southern-inspired women’s brand founded by Reese Witherspoon has signed a long-term licensing agreement with PDS under which that company will design, produce and distribute Draper James collections throughout the U.K. and the European Union. In addition, PDS will now produce product for Draper James’ e-commerce site and three U.S. stores.
The collection that is wholesaled in the U.S. is produced by another licensee and will not change.
In order to ensure consistency in the different regions, Draper James’ design and merchandising team will work closely with their PDS counterparts on seasonal collections that will be tailored to each market.
Kathryn Sukey, head of design for Draper James, will oversee the visual and aesthetic direction for all product categories, ensuring the collections align with the brand’s colorful, Southern-skewed identity.
The India-based PDS has more than 90 offices in 22 countries and works with more than 250 global brands and retailers. With that kind of reach, PDS is also expected to help bring the Draper James brand to other international markets including Australia and could one day include the opening of retail stores outside the U.S., the company said.
Draper James, which was acquired about one year ago by Consortium Brand Partners, a fund manager and brand-building firm, recently hired Jeannie Yoo as chief executive officer of the brand. Her goals are to add categories, open stores and explore international distribution. This deal with PDS is the first step toward reaching those goals.
“We’re thrilled to partner with PDS to meet the strong demand for Draper James in the U.K. and Europe,” said Michael DeVirgilio, founding partner at Consortium Brand Partners. “This partnership marks the beginning of a long-term strategic alliance between PDS and Consortium Brand Partners. We look forward to working closely with PDS’ talented team across all of our initiatives.”
Pallak Seth, executive vice chairman of PDS, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Consortium Brand Partners and looking forward to welcoming Draper James to the PDS group. We pride ourselves on uniquely customizing the omnichannel experience, and we’re eager to amplify the Draper James story and drive sustainable growth to an established American brand celebrated for its creativity, community spirit and Southern style. We are equally excited about our long-term strategic alliance with Consortium Brand Partners.”
