Aritzia makes huge move into menswear with purchase of another iconic Vancouver brand

You didn’t think that the men’s version of the Super Puff was going to be the end, did you? Last night, Aritzia announced that it had bought Reigning Champ, an iconic Canadian brand that is, ironically, also from Vancouver. Here are the details from this blockbuster move.

Since its start back in 2007, Reigning Champ has become synonymous with timeless, classic menswear. What’s more, it’s now a global name, with a presence in clothing stores from London to Moscow to Seoul. And of course, they’ve got a great webstore for buyers all over the world.

Specializing in fleece (think elevated sweatsuits and workout gear), Reigning Champ is apparently a great way for Aritzia to move fully into menswear. Basically, Aritzia is going to keep the essence of the brand, but will use its absolutely massive infrastructure to take it to the next level. This will happen over the next five years, and a few executives from Reigning Champ will help oversee the move.

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The sale has valued the Reigning Champ brand at around $63M USD. Aritzia is forking over the majority (75%) of that right off the hop, while the last 25% will be paid out over the next few years. For reference, Aritzia is currently worth over $3.5B USD, so it’s a relatively small purchase for them to make.

And while the move is marketed as another step into menswear, there’s no denying that Reigning Champ is easily a unisex company, and has been marketed for women before. Tinfoil hat time- due to the similarities of RC and Aritzia’s TNA line, this could simply be a way to ensure their markets stay shopping with them.

Now- a little extra info for our fashion-savvy readers. The other brand from CYC Design Corporation, wings+horns, announced that it was ‘pausing’ operations back in April of this year. That was probably in light of this upcoming sale, but since Aritzia purchased Reigning Champ the brand, not CYC the corporation, we’re wondering if the same ‘Made in Canada’ commitment will stick around.

If not, don’t worry. Those looking for classic, made in Canada apparel can check out Roopa Knitting Mills’ ‘House of Blanks‘ line. For more info on this blockbuster move in the fashion world, check out the press release here.