Windsong Global LLC and Hilco Brands closed a deal last week to acquire a majority stake in Earth Shoes from the Meynard family for an undisclosed amount.
Earth president Mark Parsley, who joined the firm last January, told FN that current chairman Philippe Meynard will remain on the company’s board of directors and continue to work on special development projects. Parsley also said that the merger will have no significant impact on its executive leadership and staff, and its headquarters will remain in Waltham, Mass.
He added, “Windsong [has] many years of expertise in the consumer space [and is] providing us with resources, capital and relationships to allow us to enter the next chapter of growth.”
In February, Earth announced its first licensing and distribution deal, with European fashion-comfort brand Tamaris, to reintroduce the line to the North American markets for fall ’21.
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At the same time, Parsley and his team have been working to strengthen their brand portfolio to create clear delineations between the different businesses and speak to younger consumers.
While continuing to offer the core Earth Origins brand to big-box and mid-tier department stores, the company this fall is launching Earth Elements, targeted to premium department stores and independents. The line will comprise comfort styles with an eye toward fashion trends and sustainability, with prices ranging from $100 to $150.
Meanwhile, the namesake Earth label is being refashioned to embrace its sustainable connotations.
The company took the line out of the market after spring ’20 and has been overhauling production and design to craft a fully sustainable collection aimed at young millennial and Gen Z men and women. It is slated to launch for holiday ’21.
“Think about what’s going on in the world today, with eco-friendly and recyclable products, and everybody wants to be part of that conversation,” Parsley told FN earlier this year. “But there’s not a brand out there that can talk about this more authentically than a brand called Earth.”
