Quiksilver to Russia, With Love
Quiksilver Inc. announced this week a new partnership with a Russian apparel maker to design, manufacture, market and distribute Quiksilver and Roxy branded products in Russia.
Sprandi International, which designs, produces, distributes and retails apparel and accessories under its own brands in Russia, replaces a former Quiksilver licensee and distributor.
The partnership aims to establish a Russian distribution network of companyowned retail stores, as well as a wholesale business that will include licensed retail stores, large retailers and independent retail chains. Huntington Beach, Calif.–based Quiksilver will hold a majority stake in the joint venture.
Surfing may not be an option for Russian youth, but Quiksilver, a $1.8 billion company, is hoping the brand’s aesthetic will hit a nerve.
“Russia’s young people are increasingly linked to the global youth culture, and the market has excellent potential,” said Bernard Mariette, Quiksilver’s president. “The board-riding lifestyle and its ties to music and other aspects of popular Western culture have begun to see a massive expansion in Russia.”
And Russia may be only the beginning of Quiksilver’s attempts to woo Eastern European kids, Mariette said. “We believe that a strong business in Russia will serve as a model and, potentially, as an operating platform to grow our business in a variety of other attractive markets throughout Eastern Europe.”
Quiksilver has an international presence, with offices and distribution in Australia, France, China, Japan, South Africa, Turkey, Argentina, South Korea and Indonesia.
—Erin Barajas
