Marquee Brands acquires outdoor lifestyle brand Dakine

By

Robin Driver

Published
Dec 6, 2018

Brand licensing and development company Marquee Brands LLC announced on Wednesday that it has acquired outdoor lifestyle brand Dakine and all related intellectual property. Marquee has confided the label’s operations to Southern Californian outdoor and athletic product design and manufacturing company JR286 through a long-term licensing agreement.

 
According to Marquee Brands President Michael DeVirgilio, the company’s plans for its new acquisition involved intensifying the production of Dakine’s existing snow, surf and biking products, while also exploring potential new development avenues.

Dakine was founded on Maui’s North Shore in 1979 and now operates headquarters in both Hood River, Oregon and Annecy, France. The brand currently generates roughly equal levels of revenue in North America and Europe.

Marquee Brands and partner JR286 will continue to oversee the label’s operations from Hood River and Annecy, as well as from Los Angeles, while Dakine CEO Ken Meidell will be joining the company’s team.
 
Sponsored by Neuberger Berman Private Equity, Marquee Brands’ portfolio is currently made up of Bruno Magli, Ben Sherman, Body Glove, BCBG Max Azria and BCBGeneration. Through its portfolio the company generates $1.5 billion of retail equivalent sales.
 
“Dakine is a high quality brand with a performance integrity and legacy of innovation that has allowed it to develop a fiercely passionate customer following, and which we believe is ripe with untapped growth potential,” said managing director of Neuberger Berman Zachary Sigel in a release.
 
“This brand is truly emblematic of the types of acquisitions we seek to make for the Marquee Brands portfolio,” he concluded.

No further details concerning the transaction were provided by the parties involved.