Sportswear and footwear distributor Lestate launches its own Rank line

Parallel imports of sporting goods, launched, as in many other markets, after the departure of most international brands from Russia, have not yet ensured the stability of supplies and prices. As a result, specialized companies began to launch their own brands. For example, sportswear and footwear distributor Lestate creates its own Rank line. However, the shortage of equipment and the lack of production of the necessary fabrics and accessories in the Russian Federation make such projects risky, experts say.

As Kommersant discovered, Roman Samsonov, commercial director of the Russian distributor of sports goods Lestate, filed several applications with Rospatent to register the Rank brand.

Mr. Samsonov confirmed to Kommersant plans to create his own trademark (STM), under which shoes, clothing and accessories will be produced. According to him, Rank products will appear in early 2024 in Moscow and St. Petersburg in Sport Point multi-brand stores operated by Lestate, and then on marketplaces and in the wholesale supply segment.

Despite the fact that after the departure of international fashion retailers from Russia in 2022, their goods are available through parallel imports, the cost has jumped significantly and the buyer is no longer ready to pay 10-12 thousand rubles. for sneakers of a famous brand, says Roman Samsonov. According to him, Lestate is developing a line under the new brand for such consumers.

For the Russian buyer, the brand no longer plays a big role, and competition in the sports goods segment remains relatively high, agrees Marina Malakhatko, senior director of CORE.XP. The fact that Russians have begun to switch more often to lesser-known but affordable brands, which is especially evident in the sportswear segment, was indicated in a recent study by B1, the former Russian division of E&Y (see “Kommersant” dated June 14 ).

Now, due to the “unpredictability and chaotic nature of import deliveries,” many retail chains are launching goods under private label, says Irina Kuzmina, Marketing Director of Sport-Marathon.

Sportmaster, which has been developing several of its brands for a long time, including Demix and Nordway, is also planning another line under the new brand. The retailer has registered a number of domains this year, including athlex-sport.ru. Clothing and footwear under the Athlex brand is available on the Sportmaster website for pre-order for wholesale deliveries. The company declined to comment.

Last fall, another multi-brand network, Street Beat, managed by Inventive Retail Group, launched its own brand. Elena Borovikova, vice-president for sporting goods of the company, notes that today the retailer’s share of private labels in the total assortment of shoes and textiles reaches 20%. Anna Dubrovina, Brand Director of the Fashion Factory School of Business Education, also points to the growing interest in creating sports brands among school students.

However, with the closure of mono-brand stores of well-known brands, the supply of the latest technological goods in the sports segment has ceased, says Marina Malakhatko. Now there is indeed a shortage in the niche of technological equipment and clothing for professional athletes, confirms Anna Dubrovina.

Elena Borovikova notes that in the development of own production of sportswear and footwear, manufacturability and quality of materials, seasonality and changing the collection at certain times are important. Among the difficulties of organizing production in Russia, Irina Kuzmina names the limited amount of equipment and personnel, as well as the lack of domestic production of the necessary fabrics and accessories. In addition, Ms. Malakhatko notes, the stagnant economy and a high level of uncertainty in the consumer market may prevent a new brand from entering the market.

Alina Savitskaya, Anatoly Kostyrev