D2 scores with Kickers licensing deal

Young branded fashion chain D2 has secured the UK licence for Kickers clothing from licence holder Pentland Brands.

The menswear range will launch next Easter in all of D2's 72 stores. It will be split into two categories, one targeting trend-led customers and the second featuring more conservative casualwear for older shoppers. Prices are £50 for jeans, £20 for T-shirts and £30 for shirts.

The range will be designed by denim guru and D2 director Alan Kinney with a team of freelance designers. It will be sourced from Turkey, Portugal and the Far East.

D2 posted its first-ever loss last month. Pre-tax losses hit £1.7 million for the year to January 31, on flat sales of £50m. D2 has a raft of own labels, including Hoi Polloi and Soviet, and holds the UK licence for Kangol.

Pentland Brands previously designed and sold a range of Kickers clothing, but pulled the collection after spring 07 to focus on repositioning its footwear line in the UK.