Licenses and Partnerships

- An ability to analyse brands’ strengths and weaknesses, acquired through over 20 years’ experience.

- A resolutely 360° vision of the subject: strategic, business, marketing and creative.

- Proven know-how in key European countries such as Spain, Italy,  Germany, Benelux, Cyprus and Greece.

- A determination to forge lasting, constructive partnerships to support the development of a brand over the long term. Some Kickers licensees have been working with the Group for over 30 years, while some licences, such as Hello Kitty, have been exploited by the Group for 15 years.

When a need is identified or an opportunity presents itself, the prospective brand is analysed in depth: in what ways is it complementary to the others, what is its business plan, and where do we want to take it? This preliminary phase is essential as it determines a major investment decision. The negotiation is always carried out in a spirit of collaboration and is based on the Royer Group’s design and distribution expertise and its ability to interact with the licensors.

When a brand joins the Royer Group, It gains access to its different forms of business expertise. Whether the brand is aimed at the mass-market or selective circuit (fashion and junior), or is to be developed in the sport or luxury segment, it will be allocated dedicated teams. Each of these teams will offer a combination of expertise in product development (product manager, developer, designer with an understanding of the brand’s identity and according to the product submission and approval protocols), sourcing and sales deployment; irrespective of the targeted distribution networks, from mass-market to high-end.

The Royer Group is a brand owner, but is also involved in deploying international partners to manage its own brands outside Europe. This enables the Group to create a brand presence, under the best possible conditions, in regions in which it is not considering operating directly. A highly reactive team of submission specialists offering expertise in digital technology, marketing support and business development strategy is allocated to the licensing-out project with the aim of ensuring respect for the brand’s values and codes and implementing the products, marketing plans and rigorous procedures.

Olivier Mercier, who drives the Von Dutch brand, has an atypical background. Atypical is also the textile lifestyle brand, a tribute to the Californian artist Von Dutch. A constructive encounter.
Coming from a family of restaurateurs, Olivier Mercier began his career in the hotel and restaurant business, before completely changing course by setting up a distribution company for American shoe brands.

Always in search of open and different profiles, Jacques Royer brought Olivier Mercier into the group in 2003. In 2005, he was appointed commercial director of Von Dutch, whose licence the group has just acquired. The brand is already well known thanks to the "celebrity business" launched by Christian Audigier. However, the group sees enormous potential in Von Dutch's DNA based on Californian culture.

On October 26, 2009, the Royer Group became the owner of Von Dutch. "It was the first time that the group was involved in a lifestyle textile brand with a worldwide presence," recalls Olivier Mercier. Aware of the challenge, he draws up a roadmap that is as ambitious as it is rigorous.
It is also in this building that all the collections are born from the imagination of 500 designers inspired by "Kustom culture". "It's essential to work with American designers to ensure that the Von Dutch spirit lives on," says Olivier Mercier.

After 5 years of hard work, Von Dutch is represented by a solid network of licensees in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Europe and Asia. A success that Olivier Mercier attributes to the fact that the group makes it possible to "manage Von Dutch like a startup".
Among his projects are the opening of a boutique in Los Angeles, the launch of a collection of decorative plaques like those that decorate American garages... and a shoe collection. In France, where the brand was only present in textiles, footwear is on the 2018 programme!