EXECUTIVE CHANGES
+++ Wild Country and Evolv, both part of Italy’s Oberalp Group, have expanded their US sales representation with James Loveridge, Joe Santos and Greydon Jones to strengthen coverage of specialty retailers and climbing gyms across key US regions
+++ JV International, the official worldwide licensee for Michelin-branded technical soles, known for its proprietary NexX4 technology, has appointed Stefano Madau as Commercial Director, as well as Giovanni Girardi as Sales Manager, Vania Cadamuro as Designer Coordinator and Product & Project Manager, and Aramis Ziliotto as Technical Coordinator +++
RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION
+++ Italian legacy bike brand Wilier has announced Unofficial Worldwide as its exclusive distributor in the US, to replace Velo Star, which will remain a Wilier retailer in the Oklahoma City area
+++ Swiss sportswear brand On has opened its first UAE store at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, its third GCC location, and plans nine more stores across the Gulf region over the next two years
+++ Chinese climbing and outdoor brand Kailas has opened its first Hong Kong mountaineering concept store at K11 Musea, using the location to expand its Asia-Pacific retail presence and engage the local hiking, climbing and trail running communities
+++ Authentic Brands Group (ABG) has appointed Shanghai Hui Zhong as its new operating partner for Nautica and Spyder in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, replacing Tristate Holdings amid declining sales and ongoing legal disputes over the termination of existing licensing agreements
+++ On is opening its first two Brazilian stores in São Paulo, at JK Iguatemi on July 30 and MorumbiShopping on Aug. 6, with a third location planned for Rio de Janeiro by year-end
+++ Intersport France has entered the Portuguese market with a 1,800-sqm store in Felgueiras, northeast of Porto, operated by cooperative member Schiever Group and creating 22 jobs, as part of plans to open around ten Iberian stores by 2027 +++
CORPORATE AND M&A
+++ SkiYodl, the UK-based ski travel startup co-founded by Oliver Dannatt – Sir Richard Branson’s former ski instructor – and business partner Simon Latarche, has officially entered liquidation
+++ CTV News reports that Québec-based outdoor retailer La Cordée has filed for creditor protection for the second time in six years, citing more than C$17 million in liabilities as it seeks to restructure its debts
+++ Reuters reports that Shein is under investigation by the US Federal Trade Commission and has warned the probe could result in significant financial penalties, as the fast-fashion retailer pursues a Hong Kong IPO
+++ Patagonia is the only outdoor brand among The Business of Fashion’s ten most desirable fashion employers for 2026, ranking alongside luxury brands including Chanel, Hermès and Dior in a survey of 2,926 professionals across 98 countries +++
TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS
+++ The 50th edition of Snow Show London, which will take place at Olympia London on Oct. 17-18, 2026, will feature five live theaters for expert talks and demos as well as the return of the Fashion Show with the latest winter sports gear on display
+++ Trail running event Skyline Scotland will return in 2027 by joining the UTMB World Series
+++ The Running Event (TRE) has named 65 retailers as its 2026 Best Running Stores honorees, selected from 8,300 nominations across 49 U.S. states, with the Store of the Year to be announced Dec. 3 at TRE in San Antonio, Texas +++
PRODUCT & MARKETING
+++ Canadian outdoor lifestyle brand Roots is launching a limited-edition summer capsule in Canada inspired by six iconic national road-trip food stops, combining apparel and accessories with illustrations by Toronto artist Gangbox
+++ Los Angeles-based outdoor gear brand Portal has launched its 45.8-lb (20.8-kg) Nomis One inflatable rooftop tent on Kickstarter, offering a 3-in-1 design for rooftop, truck-bed and ground camping
+++ California-based Nocs Provisions and the National Audubon Society have launched Shared Ground, their second collaborative collection featuring five limited-edition optics bundles inspired by threatened and regionally significant North American bird species and their habitats
+++ Arcade Belts has launched a limited-edition Keep Tahoe Blue Belt, donating 10% of proceeds to The League to Save Lake Tahoe +++
CSR & SUSTAINABILITY
+++ Montana-based outdoor brand Crazy Creek has joined The Conservation Alliance, adding its support to a coalition of more than 190 businesses funding and advocating for the protection of North America’s public lands and waters +++
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