Major acquisition set to take Birmingham-born streetwear brand global

Birmingham-born streetwear brand HOODRICH has been acquired by a major brand management consultancy Iconix International, following a meteoric rise.

Founded by Jay Williams in 2014, Williams sold his first thirty t-shirts from the boot of his car and worked independently for three years, before attracting attention from Foot Asylum.

HOODRICH has since grown to retail in more than 1,000 stores across 24 countries and has been backed by the likes of 50 Cent and Giggs, as well as Birmingham rappers Mist and Jaykae. In 2022, HOODRICH was also approached by Netflix to work with Top Boy on an exclusive collection celebrating season 2 of the gritty British show.

The partnership between Iconix and Williams, who will retain an ownership interest, is set to focus on taking the brand globally and expanding into new markets and product categories. Batra Group will assume business operations, with JD Sports as a key global retail partner.

The brand’s tagline, From Nothing to Something, references both William’s and the brand’s humble beginnings in Erdington.

Headquarters will remain in Birmingham and Watford.

Bob Galvin, CEO of Iconix International said: “We are excited about the incredible opportunity to grow HOODRICH with this outstanding group of best-in-class partners.

“The brand is extremely well-positioned to capitalise on the growing demand for lifestyle streetwear with an authentic brand story. We are committed to bringing this high-quality brand to an even bigger global audience and to expand on Jay’s commendable journey so that HOODRICH continues to be not just SOMETHING, but something great.”

Jay Williams, Founder of HOODRICH said: “I’m really excited about the future of HOODRICH and can’t wait to grow the brand internationally. I think this is the perfect partnership for HOODRICH and I’m looking forward to working alongside Iconix and Batra, who will be a major support system for the global growth of the brand”.