Dickies, a globally recognized workwear and lifestyle brand, was previously owned by VF Corporation and is now part of Bluestar Alliance’s portfolio of leading international brands. Under this new partnership, UTG will oversee product development, manufacturing, distribution, and retail operations for Dickies across the region—aiming to strengthen the brand’s market presence and accelerate its growth in China.

UTG is honored to partner with Bluestar Alliance to lead the next chapter of Dickies’ development in China. Dickies embodies durability, authenticity, and timeless appeal. With UTG’s operational excellence and local market expertise, we look forward to unlocking new opportunities for the brand’s continued success.

Bluestar Alliance, headquartered in New York, owns, manages, and licenses a diversified portfolio of global consumer brands across fashion, lifestyle, and home categories. The company selected UTG for its proven capabilities in brand management, retail operations, and supply chain execution in Greater China.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in UTG’s strategy to connect leading global brands with Chinese consumers, reinforcing its position as a trusted partner for international brand expansion and sustainable growth.

About UTG
UTG is a leading brand operator and strategic partner for global lifestyle and fashion brands in Asia. With capabilities spanning brand management, retail development, digital transformation, and sustainable operations, UTG works with international partners to build long-term value and consumer engagement across the region.

About Bluestar Alliance
Founded in 2006 by Joseph Gabbay and Ralph Gindi, Bluestar Alliance is a global brand management leader, overseeing a portfolio of premium fashion and lifestyle brands generating more than $13 billion in global retail sales. Bluestar Alliance is recognized for transforming iconic consumer names into dynamic, best-in-class lifestyle brands with worldwide reach. Its portfolio includes Off-WhiteTM, Palm Angels®, Dickies®, Scotch & Soda®, Hurley®, Justice®, Bebe®, Elie Tahari®, Limited Too®, Brookstone®, and more— each re-energized through creative vision, strategic partnerships, and a deep understanding of global markets. With more than 600 licensees and a growing network of over 500 branded retail stores, Bluestar Alliance continues to expand its global presence.

About the Dickies® Brand

Founded in 1922 in Fort Worth, Texas, Dickies has stood alongside generations of proud workers, equipping them with the tough, durable workwear that has enabled them to make and shape our world. A brand of VF Corporation, Dickies has grown to represent a global community of people who have taken inspiration from the traditional world of work and made it their own. For 100 years and available in over 100 countries, what began as a humble workwear company has grown into a worldwide force, weaving together cultural movements with a rigorous commitment to straightforward style and long-lasting ingenuity. For more information, please visit dickies.com.

Xcel Brands seeking to extend its reach globally, has brought in United Trademark Group as a strategic investor.

UTG, a brand development and licensing company producing a range of products, has invested $9 million in Xcel, WWD has learned.

“We have been looking for a strategic alliance to make Xcel Brands global,” said Robert W. D’Loren, chairman and chief executive officer of Xcel, which specializes in building influencer brands through livestreaming and social commerce.

“This transaction brings together two leaders in brand management, supply chain management, licensing and video and social commerce to create what we hope is a global powerhouse,” D’Loren said. “They have distribution in Europe, Middle East and Asia, and that’s something we’ve been missing. For us, this is strategically very important.”

Investors liked the deal and traded shares of Xcel up 31.6 percent to $3 on Thursday, leaving the company with a market capitalization of $7.1 million.

The CEO said the partnership “positions us nicely as we continue to announce more of these creator-type brands.”

UTG’s investment helped Xcel refinance debt and provides some working capital. The investor was also given warrants at different strike prices. Asked if the $9 million investment is a preliminary one by UTG, D’Loren replied, “The thought is for UTG to grow with us.”

Xcel owns the Halston, Judith Ripka and C. Wonder brands, as well as the Tower Hill by Christie Brinkley cobranded collaboration. Xcel also holds noncontrolling interests in the Isaac Mizrahi brand and Orme Live, the short-form video marketplace for social shopping. And it owns and manages the Longaberger brand through its controlling interest in Longaberger Licensing LLC.

“This week, we passed 40 million social media followers across our portfolio,” D’Loren said. “We believe we will very shortly [exceed] 50 million social media followers across our portfolio brands, which now include categories from fashion to home to kitchen to pets and all of the classifications and categories that go with those broad industry segments. Our goal now is to get the portfolio by the end of 2026 to 100 million followers.”

The family-owned UTG is involved in design, manufacturing, distribution and retail and works to connect consumers with brands through emerging media, social platforms, retail technology, influencer collaborations and “experiential” retail. The company manufactures jewelry, accessories, pet products and other categories of merchandise.

“In the future, by having UTG as a partner, if there’s something that we believe is a good acquisition opportunity, I think together, it becomes a lot easier for us,” D’Loren said.

UTG, a $2 billion company, has a master license for Jeep in China and operates about 1,000 Jeep stores selling Jeep performance wear, casualwear and other Jeep products, but not Jeep vehicles. A 8,600-square-foot Jeep flagship recently opened in Shanghai.

The company also owns the Roberta Di Camerino women’s fashion, accessories and footwear brand sold in Italy and China, has an emoji license and is eager to acquire brands. “We want to be more of an owner,” said George Liu, cofounder of the 15-year-old UTG.

Asked what attracted UTG to Xcel, Liu said, “What really excited us is the synergy.”

Liu also said they have a shared passion for social commerce, which is much bigger in China than it is in the U.S.

He also said Xcel can build its business by having the benefit of UTG’s supply chain expertise. “We think Bob is a pioneer in the industry,” Liu added.

UTG’s goals in the short-term is to help Xcel optimize its supply chain, grow the business it has with its existing brands and build its cash flow. In the medium term, Liu sees the possibility of UTG and Xcel acquiring brands together. Roberta Di Camerino is the only brand UTG currently owns.

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This milestone is made possible thanks to the dedication of our trusted licensees, who have worked to bring these high-quality products to new audiences. The eyewear collection combines timeless elegance with modern design, while the fragrance line embodies sophistication and luxury.

We are grateful to our licensees for their hard work and look forward to continuing our partnerships to expand the Roberta di Camerino brand in these key markets.

In recent years, there has been a remarkable surge in interest in outdoor activities, with camping leading the charge as a beloved escape for adventurers. Recognizing this growing trend, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our first camping goods collection under the Jeep umbrella. This new line of outdoor equipment is designed to enhance the camping experience while further cementing Jeep as a trusted and reliable outdoor brand.

A Commitment to Excellence in Outdoor Gear

At UTG, we strive to complement our product range by introducing innovative and functional gear that aligns seamlessly with the Jeep brand’s ethos of adventure and durability. With this new collection, we aim to elevate the consumer experience, offering a comprehensive selection of camping goods that not only meet the needs of today’s outdoor enthusiasts but also embody the spirit of exploration that Jeep represents.

Enhancing the Jeep Brand Identity

Our camping goods collection is thoughtfully curated to reinforce the Jeep brand identity. Each item in the range has been designed with functionality, quality, and style in mind, ensuring that our consumers can rely on Jeep-branded gear to enhance their outdoor journeys. Whether it’s rugged tents, portable cooking equipment, or versatile accessories, this line reflects our commitment to helping adventurers explore with confidence.

Looking Ahead to 2025: Local Relevance and Cultural Resonance

As we plan for the future, creating local relevancy remains a top priority. In an increasingly complex and competitive market, success lies in understanding and embracing cultural nuances that resonate with our consumers. Jeep’s new camping goods collection is designed to build meaningful connections with a sophisticated and discerning outdoor consumer base. By offering products that align with their values and lifestyles, we aim to foster a deeper relationship with our customers.

Embracing the Outdoors with Jeep

As we venture into the outdoor goods market, our goal is to provide a seamless and enriching experience for our consumers. With Jeep’s reputation for rugged reliability and our commitment to quality, this new camping goods collection is poised to become an essential part of outdoor adventures for years to come.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to innovate and expand our offerings in the outdoor space, driving Jeep’s legacy of adventure into new and exciting directions.

• GU (Fast Retailing, Japan) recently expanded into skateboarding via a brand collaboration with Tony Hawk. UTG has the Tony Hawk rights for China, Korea and Japan.

The area where sportswear and street wear overlap is where Chinese brands might see the greatest potential to capture global interest through innovative collaborations and the use of content-commerce strategies honed in the Chinese market. The recent collaboration between GU (Japan) and skating legend Tony Hawk on a skateboarding line is a good example of a move into new product categories that could appeal to Gen Z consumers outside of China. GU belongs to Japanese retail firm Fast Retailing, owner of fast fashion chain Uniqlo, and has more than 400 shops for its  GU brand.

Cross brand collaboration GU x Tony Hawk:

https://www.gu-global.com/jp/ja/feature/cms/tonyhawkcollab/men/

While street wear labels launched by Chinese idols are gaining ground in their home market, global demand is likely to depend on their ability to find the right collaboration partners that will give them a broader reach. GU recent collaboration with Tony Hawk is definitely a step in the right direction, and very well could set a blueprint for other, smaller (Chinese) brands to tap international talent with significant street cred and amplify their global prospects in the process.

• The skateboarding legend Tony Hawk was at the Tokyo Games serving as an Olympics correspondent with NBC.

Skateboarding made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, and godfather of the sport Tony Hawk was on hand to witness the event. Hawk, 53, who lives and skates in San Diego’s North County, did not compete for gold at the Olympics but instead served as a commentator with NBC to help bring viewers into the event. But while Hawk was in Tokyo to help NBC with their broadcast, he spent much of his time off joyously dadding out.

Ahead of the games on Instagram, Hawk expressed his awe in how far the sport had come since he began skating. “As a kid that was mostly lambasted for my interest in skateboarding, I never imagined it would be part of the Olympic Games. It’s surreal to now be in Tokyo bearing witness to this milestone in the most unprecedented circumstances,” Hawk said.

Decades after being viewed as somewhat of an underground sport, skateboarding was recognized as an Olympic sport for the first time at the Tokyo Olympics, which began on July 23, 2021.

“I know in the end it will help to grow skateboarding’s profile internationally, exposing our passion to an audience that has never seen it before or simply refused to embrace it. A whole new generation will get to experience skateboarding with genuine public support and meaningful opportunity. I predict it will be one of the highlights from all of the Olympic Games coverage this year. And I’m here for it.”

Hawk might not have been able to compete when skateboarding finally got to the Olympics, but he was absolutely a part of the celebration.

COVID-19 concentrated UTG’s management’s attention on a number of critical issues. First and foremost was costs, but then we quickly looked at broader needs affecting our company’s future, such as digital and omni-channel transformation and customer relevance. We recognize that that innovation’s power to drive advantage is more important than ever.

Source: BCG Global Innovation Survey 2020 and 2021.