After expanding into Asia and testing the German market earlier this year, Poler, an outdoor, camping and lifestyle brand based in Portland, Oregon, has appointed Out Of Step (OOS) Retail Ltd., a London-based brand agency specializing in American and Australian street and skatewear brands, as its new distributor for the U.K.
Poler was founded in 2010 and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in late 2018, which meant full liquidation and closure. According to Gear Junkie, while bankruptcy filings outlined a disastrous drop in revenue, from $7.2 million in 2017 to $3.6 million in 2018, nobody ever knew what actually killed the brand. One year later, the brand reappeared, now owned by Pacific & Everest Lifestyle Co., a holding of the Primer Group, a Philippines-based company that owns several brands. One of the original founders, Kharma Vella, was joining new CEO Cape Capener in the management team, while the other co-founder, Benji Wagner, did not return to the scene with the reopening. Pacific & Everest Lifestyle bought Poler out of bankruptcy for just over $6 million, according to court records, a sign that despite the company’s financial stumbles Primer Group thinks the brand remains valuable.
In addition to wholesale distribution for the U.K., OOS will also manage Poler’s direct-to-consumer U.K. online store, due to launch in line with the Summer 2021 collection. OOS is offering sales appointments for the Poler collection from early January from both its London and Bristol showroom spaces, as well as via digital appointment.
