Vicki M. Young

Tue, Jun 17, 2025, 2:40 PM2 min read

Sperry, which is marking its 90th anniversary, is heading back to the U.K. and Ireland.

Brand owner Authentic Brands Group inked a partnership with Gardiner Bros to distribute the boat shoe heritage brand across the U.K. and Ireland for men’s and women’s footwear.

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“We’re proud to partner with Gardiner to introduce more consumers to sperry’s storied heritage,” Henry Stupp, Authentic’s president, lifestyle & entertainment, EMEIA, said. “With their deep expertise in distribution and strong retail relationships, Gardiner is the ideal partner to accelerate Sperry’s growth in these key markets, bringing signature styles, like the iconic original boat shoe, to a new generation of consumers.” (Aldo Group is the brand’s North American operating partner.)

Authentic acquired the Sperry brand in January 2024 from Wolverine World Wide. The brand management firm said the U.K. and Ireland markets have long recognized Sperry’s rich heritage and timeless appeal.

“Boat shoes are having a real resurgence, and we look forward to reintroducing timeless silhouettes alongside fresh new styles to customers in the UK and Ireland,” said Gardiner’s chief product officer Ben Gardiner.

Authentic has been busy building out the footwear presence of the brands in its portfolio across the U.K. and Ireland. Last month, it chose Chapter Brand Group to distribute its Rockport brand in men’s and women’s footwear. The brand management firm acquired Rockport in July 2023 while it was in bankruptcy proceedings.

A year earlier, Authentic bought Rockport’s former parent Reebok. This past February, Authentic said Galaxy Universal took over Reebok’s footwear operations, retail stores and e-commerce, as well as leading the brand’s global product creation, design and sourcing.

Galaxy inked a joint venture with Batra Group, dubbed GB Brands Europe Limited, which has oversight for the brand’s operations across Europe and the U.K. GB Brands took over for New Guards Group, the Farfetch division that previously distributed Reebok footwear and apparel in Europe.

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