INTERNATIONAL. On 29 August, American lifestyle brand LeSportsac confirmed its partnership with travel retail business development agency Blueprint.
LeSportsac, part of the Japanese ITOCHU Corporation, already has a strong foothold in Asia Pacific travel retail with listings in airports, airlines and duty free stores across Japan, Taiwan, Korea and China.
The partnership announcement comes as LeSportsac gears up for its 50th anniversary celebrations, and just after GQ magazine recognised the brand’s contemporary relevance.
The collaboration with Blueprint will help highlight LeSportsac’s limited-edition collections through immersive pop-ups and interactive engagements for travellers. LeSportsac designs blend fashion-forward sensibilities with functionality. The brand noted: “With nearly half a century in crafting memories for travellers around the globe, LeSportsac continues to make waves as a trendsetter.
“The collaboration with Blueprint – a team renowned for its adeptness in steering growth strategies for companies in the travel retail channel – will further amplify LeSportsac’s retail footprint.” LeSportsac President Suguru Nakai said: “We’ve always strived to stay true to our roots, while constantly evolving to meet the contemporary needs of our diverse clientele.
“This partnership with Blueprint symbolises our commitment to innovation. It emphasises our aspiration to provide unparalleled travel retail experiences to our loyal patrons.”
Blueprint Partner Thomas Kaneko Henningsen remarked: “The history and brand power of LeSportsac is something we deeply admire. In aligning with them, we see strong synergies that will accelerate the brand’s travel retail journey.
“Our endeavour will be to take LeSportsac’s legacy forward, embracing the vibe of today’s global traveller.” Nakai added: “We have built successful collaborations in travel retail with Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Ever Rich Duty Free, Tasa Meng, Starlux Airlines and China Duty Free Group. We are looking forward to welcoming more leading retailers as we grow our travel retail footprint.”
Founded in 1974 in New York, LeSportsac has continued its growth trajectory with annual retail sales crossing US$150 million. The brand has more than 400 standalone retail stores in 20 countries worldwide and it has collaborated with renowned names such as Stella McCartney, Coca-Cola, Pok?mon, Disney, Mattel’s Barbie and many more. Henningsen said: “LeSportsac is part of the ITOCHU Corporation, one of Japan’s largest companies founded 160 years ago – home to more than 150 brands. LeSportsac has become a global success story thanks to the combination of ITOCHU’s distinctive capabilities with LeSportsac’s successful track record in domestic, online and travel retail channels.” ?
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