New York, April 19th 2023: Ulla Johnson Inc, the New York based womenswear brand announces today a global license agreement with HIMCo S.p.A, a global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of premium fashion and leather goods.
HIMCo, globally known for its innovative manufacturing expertise, will produce and distribute footwear for Ulla Johnson. The agreement, which will begin for PS24, is for an initial term of 3 years. Ulla Johnson first introduced footwear in 2013.
Ulla Johnson, Founder & Chief Creative Officer: ‘My brand is not just about the clothes themselves but about the story, the process, the travel, the lifestyle, the emotional weight of objects crafted by hand and with love. The creation of future heirlooms, of pieces whose beauty and meaning transcends time and place has always been a core value, so I am happy to have found a like-minded partner in HIMCo who have an incredible commitment to design, craft and innovation. There are many points of connectedness between our work and we are looking forward for all we have next for this growing category.’
A partner for leading fashion brands, past and present, HIMCo offers state of the art production, a best-in-class industrial network, unmatched textile and material sourcing, combined with their dedication to sustainability. Footwear production is based in Riviera del Brenta, Venice.
Says Donata Minelli Yirmimyahu, Ulla Johnson CEO: “We are thrilled to have Himco as the company’s first licensing partner. Their incredibly rich history within the luxury footwear space and their appreciation and respect of a brand’s DNA when developing a collection make them a perfect partner. From their executive team to the pattern makers and creators, everyone has shown an incredibly spirited and collaborative nature. They also possess strength in their global distribution, complimentary to that of our Ready to Wear business, and it has all been synergetic since the start.”
Fabio Ducci and Antonello Orunesu, HIMCo owners: ”We are very proud Ulla Johnson has chosen to partner with HimCo for the development of its footwear collections. We share the brand values and vision and are truly impressed by Ulla’s passion to create beautiful and sustainable products. We will put at her disposal our best expertise and know-how – both in the manufacturing and in the distribution – to ensure Ulla Johnson’s footwear collection the success it deserves.”
This new business partnership will focus on the strategic growth of the Ulla Johnson footwear category, in harmony with that seen within RTW. Together with RTW and footwear, the line encompasses a full range of product categories including Made in Italy handbags, small leather goods, premium denim handcrafted in LA, swim and jewelry. Ulla Johnson founded her eponymous brand in 1999 in her native New York, which has since grown to a global brand with over 500 points of distribution worldwide.
In addition to Ulla Johnson boutiques and ullajohnson.com, the collections can be found at the most premium retailers globally, including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Net-a-Porter, Matchesfashion, Le Bon Marche, MyTheresa, Boon the Shop and Browns Fashion. Ulla Johnson operates standalone stores in New York, NoHo which opening in 2017, Amagansett in June 2019 and ullajohnson.com. June 2023 sees the opening of Ulla Johnson Los Angeles.
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About Ulla Johnson:
Born and raised in Manhattan, the daughter of archaeologists, Ulla Johnson honed her signature style between the streets of New York and the far-flung destinations of their family travels. Her eponymous line, founded in 2000 just after her graduation from university, immediately caught the attention of the fashion press. Growing from a handful of directional boutiques and with an early endorsement from Barneys New York, Ulla Johnson’s collection has gained a dedicated following and the support of retailers across the US, Europe, Australia, and Asia.
She has never wavered on her steadfast attention to the details of construction that have become her hallmark, basing each of her collections on a foundation of natural fibers, beautiful finishing, and ease of fit and form. The Ulla Johnson label has become synonymous with custom prints, silhouette, and fine tailoring, all of which have earned her a loyal and global customer base. With the introduction of a shoe collection in Fall 2013, made in Italy Handbags in 2021 and premium denim in 2022 the line now encompasses a full range of product categories sourced and produced worldwide with an emphasis on artisanal and handcrafted processes.
Ulla lives in Brooklyn with her husband and three children.
About HIMCo:
HIM Co S.p.A. – High Italian Manufacturing, is born from the management buyout of the industrial and distribution platform of Onward Luxury Group, which was the Italian based branch of the Japanese parent company Onward Holdings LTD, born in 2012 from the merge of two historical manufacturing companies: GIBO CO. S.p.A. and IRIS S.p.A. We offer incomparable expertise honed over the course of nearly 30 years by managing premium licensees and manufacturing agreements, and simultaneously incorporating best in class facilities for the direct production of apparel, footwear, knitwear and leather goods. “Excellence, speed and consistency are our guiding principles, keeping us relevant in our high-tech modern world, responsive to the ever evolving needs of our partner brands, and in concert with the expectations of the end customer”. Today we are focused on building innovative, 360-degree collaborations through which we are able to guarantee each client company both state of the art production quality and a substantial supply organization that combines textile and material sourcing, worldwide distribution and rigorous on time deliveries.
HIM Co produces and distributes worldwide the footwear collections of JW Anderson, Rochas, Proenza Schouler, See By Chloe’, Maria Luca, Victoria Beckham and Wales Bonner. HIM Co produces Amina Muaddi, Jacquemus, Nensi Dojaka, Chloe’, Lanvin, Jil Sander and Joseph.
