Hush Puppies, a division of Rockford-based Wolverine Worldwide (north of Grand Rapids), and Ohio’s Designer Brands Inc. announced an exclusive distribution partnership for Hush Puppies in North America.
This initiative will make Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) the exclusive in-store distributor of Hush Puppies starting in 2022, expanding Hush Puppies’ retail presence throughout the U.S. and Canada.
“We are thrilled to launch this partnership and have our line of optimistic, colorful, and comfortable products exclusively available at DSW stores across the U.S. and Canada,” says Kate Pinkham, general manager and vice president of Hush Puppies. “DSW’s strong position as a footwear industry mainstay makes them the ideal retailer to reintroduce our iconic brand to the next generation of Hush Puppies consumers.”
Jim Weinberg, chief merchandising officer at DSW, says, “Hush Puppies is a wonderful brand for Millennials who desire both style and comfort in their busy, on-the-go lifestyles. We continue to deliver differentiated products to our customers, and this exciting new partnership between DSW and Wolverine Worldwide is a great opportunity to further build our robust assortment of brands that meet all our customers’ needs. DSW customers have enjoyed Hush Puppies for years, and we are delighted to become the sole physical destination for this iconic brand in North America.”
DSW is a leading footwear retailer in North America with more than 600 stores in the U.S. and Canada. It operates in Canada through both DSW and The Shoe Company. In addition to its brick-and-mortar presence, DSW continues to grow its omnichannel business, with more than 400 million e-commerce site visits a year and 30 million VIP members. Through this distribution partnership, Hush Puppies and DSW will continue to build on the similarities of their consumer profiles and positionings, according to the companies.
Hush Puppies will continue to sell on its e-commerce site, www.HushPuppies.com, as well as internationally, but will exit all other North American wholesale operations effective Jan. 1, 2022.
