USA – SPARC Group, the parent company of Forever 21, has just announced its strategic partnership with SHEIN, the global integrated online marketplace for fashion, beauty and lifestyle products. The partnership will focus on meeting the needs of customers in the U.S. and around the world.

The partnership is expected to expand SPARC Group’s distribution of Forever 21, adding value and variety for SHEIN’s extensive customer base.

Under the agreement, SHEIN acquires an approximately one-third interest in SPARC Group, a joint venture that includes Authentic Brands Group and Simon Property Group, and in turn, SPARC Group becomes a minority shareholder in SHEIN.

The partnership also offers the opportunity to test SHEIN customer-focused experiences in Forever 21 locations across the U.S. including shop-in-shops, enabling return to store and other initiatives.

Together, SHEIN and SPARC Group plan to utilise their complementary platforms and expertise to accelerate product innovation, explore new business strategies, enhance customer experiences, and grow their presence in the marketplace.

Talking about the partnership, Marc Miller, CEO of SPARC Group, said,  “We are excited for the partnership with SHEIN as it reflects our shared vision of providing customers with unparalleled access to fashion at affordable prices. By working together, we will provide even more innovative and trendsetting products to fashion enthusiasts around the world.”

Jamie Salter and David Simon, directors of SPARC Group, also added,  “We are very pleased to welcome SHEIN as a strategic partner and shareholder in SPARC Group. SHEIN is the world’s leading online fashion platform delivering style and value around the globe and we are looking forward to working together.”

Meanwhile, Donald Tang, executive chairman of SHEIN, commented,  “SHEIN is thrilled to have SPARC Group as a partner and minority shareholder and we look forward to finding new ways to delight our customers through the potential of this partnership.”

“The powerful combination of Simon’s leadership in physical retail, Authentic’s brand development expertise, and SHEIN’s on-demand model will help us drive scalable growth and together make fashion more accessible to all,” he added. 

Sydney, Australia – Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), the global brand development, marketing, entertainment, and digital platform that manages world-renowned brands such as Reebok, Forever 21, Nautica, and Van Heusen, has partnered with enterprise customer data platform (CDP) Amperity to become its cornerstone partner for data management strategy. The latter will help the parent firm unify its in-store and digital experiences for consumers across its portfolio of brands.

With a vast roster of more than 40 iconic and world-renowned brands, Authentic’s digital platform is powered by more than 200M consumer data files. Through the tie-up with Amperity, Authentic looks to activate data from multiple online and offline touchpoints, including pre-purchase, point-of-sale, and post-purchase customer care in order to create unified customer profiles. 

“We strive to provide the most optimal shopping experience for our consumers, and having a clean data foundation is essential,” said Adam Kronengold, Authentic’s chief digital officer. “Amperity’s platform allows us to resolve identities at scale across our portfolio and leverage data to inform brand and business development decisions.” 

Amperity will be bringing together Authentic’s diverse consumer data to enable a unified 360-degree view and comprehensive understanding of its brand consumers and enhance each of its brand’s digital engagement strategies.

“Authentic has amassed a vast and loyal customer base, spanning more than 40 renowned brands,” said Barry Padgett, CEO at Amperity. “The reality is that there are many CDPs, but not all of them are created equal. We’re honored Authentic has chosen our platform to help them to deliver personalised experiences for every individual customer, driving engagement and retention to unprecedented levels.”

Reckitt, the global consumer packaged goods company, has also recently partnered with Amperity to enhance its overall customer experience. Meanwhile, in February, the CDP expanded its presence in APAC by appointing its new business director and lead solutions consultant for the region.