Perry Ellis International and Walkinshaw Sports have agreed an exclusive strategic partnership to officially distribute Original Penguin golf and tennis clothing to the Australian and New Zealand wholesale and retail market. It comes as two of the brand’s biggest globally recognized Ambassadors, Cameron Smith and Ajla Tomljanovic, who compete professionally on the world stage within golf and tennis respectively, continue to grow and endorse the brand in their home market.
“We are excited to expand our global distribution and partner with Walkinshaw Sports, an established and recognized leader in sports apparel wholesale distribution,” stated Oscar Feldenkreis, CEO and President of Perry Ellis International. “We are delighted that they will use their expertise and relationships to grow our footprint and penetration in the region to the delight of our brand fans and consumers.”
Dan Harrap, Managing Director of Walkinshaw Sports comments, “We are extremely proud to be partnering with the globally recognised organization that is Perry Ellis and to be the exclusive Australian and New Zealand distributor for Original Penguin Golf and Tennis. The Penguin logo is iconic and comes with a rich history and heritage. Furthermore, the brand is even more relevant locally with it being endorsed by Australia’s highest ranked golfer and 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith, plus tennis professional Ajla Tomljanovic. Working in full collaboration with all PEI associates, we look forward to offering the superb product collections to our trusted retail partners and building the brand in our market.”
Walkinshaw Sports will officially launch the brand into the market starting April 2023 and will be showcasing Fall 2023 Golf and Spring 2024 Golf and Tennis collections for men and women. The new collections showcase dynamic prints, classic styling and technically advanced fabrics. Being a true modern classic brand, it is trusted by brand fans around the world for both sport and leisure. The product design ethos reinforce and reflect the brand’s authenticity and heritage while embracing a passion for the good times.
For over 60 years Original Penguin, and its namesake icon Pete the Penguin, has been adorned and adored by the masters of leisure and sport to define itself as an American classic. Today, the Penguin icon still stands as a signal for those who know how to be an original and what you wear for the good times.
About An Original Penguin® by Munsingwear®
In 1955, Minneapolis-based Munsingwear – an underwear and military supply company – ironically became the touchstone of suburban sport with the introduction of the first iconic golf shirt to America – an ORIGINAL PENGUIN®. Known for its unique, humorous and detail-oriented clothing, Original Penguin offers a full range of men’s and children’s clothing, accessories and fragrances. The brand continues to evolve into the sports arena with the addition of tennis and pickleball apparel. Original Penguin is a global brand with retail stores worldwide.