A.P.C. invests in a sports brand

By

Olivier Guyot

Published
Oct 23, 2015

Last year Jean Touitou invested directly, with the launch of Vanessa Steward's eponymous brand. This year it's A.P.C.'s turn to acquire a stake in other fashion brands.

The French brand explained how it took part, alongside other investors, in the $7 million fund-raising effort by US brand Outdoor Voices. Among the leading names in the operation were General Catalyst, Forerunners Ventures and Collaborative Fund, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"I knew I'd love OV as soon as I saw their selection of fabrics, Jean Touitou has explained in a press release. They focus heavily on materials and I immediately realised we operate in the same way. Now's a good time to combine sports apparel with fashion."

Outdoor Voices was created in 2012 by Tyler Haney, with offices in Austin, Texas, and New York. The brand features running and fitness products.

The brand's mood targets urban consumers who may be reluctant to launch into their Sunday morning jog, rather than daily performance junkies. The style is pared-down, playing on black and white colours and pastel hues.

For women the brand offers sports bras from $55, leggings at $95 and tops at $65, and men's shorts at $65 and jackets at $100. 80% of Outdoor Voices sales are currently web-generated, and the brand plans to expand its presence inside directional stores and its own retail outlets.

A.P.C. already announced a future collaboration with the sports brand in 2016. The operation should bring a little more visibility to Outdoor Voices and strengthen the French label's sports-inspired offering.