Hunter turns 170 — and walks into Barbour's territory
Hunter turned 170 this year and threw a rain runway show at Yuz Museum in Shanghai to mark it.
Quick backstory. The UK business went insolvent in 2023, Authentic Brands Group bought the brand, and in China, Baozun now owns 51%.
And Baozun is doing what it does best... taking the core of a global brand and blowing it up for China. It worked with Gap. Now Hunter is going from rain boot to full British countryside wardrobe, and apparel is already over 30% of sales in some of its 16 China stores.
When I look at this, my first thought is Barbour. Same target. British, real heritage, built for the rain. Hunter is walking straight into Barbour's territory.
The heritage is real. Most of the clothes are new as Baozun pushes the brands in new directions to build revenue.
