Dive Brief:
- Sun Day Red — the golf, training and lifestyle apparel and accessories brand from Tiger Woods and TaylorMade — dropped its debut collection on Wednesday. The collection features colors the golfer will wear during the upcoming PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, according to a press release emailed to Retail Dive.
- The first collection is called “The Hunt'' and includes visual elements that the company says recall a friendly rivalry with Woods playing — and winning — the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla in a three-hole playoff over Bob May.
- For its initial launch, Sun Day Red features a range of men’s golf apparel and accessories, including a training dry hoodie and a 3D lightweight hoodie without seams that provides added mobility for athletes, per the company.
Dive Insight:
Sun Day Red is officially making its debut after it was announced in February.
The brand has launched exclusively on its website with plans for wholesale partnerships by Spring 2025, per the company. The brand will drop additional special releases in May.
The launch of Sun Day Red — named for Woods’ tradition of wearing red on Sundays at tournaments — comes at a time when many digitally native companies are increasing channels of distribution through wholesale partnerships, as well as through their own brick-and-mortar locations, as a way to reach more customers.
For Woods, the new venture arrives just months after the 15-time winner of major golf championships severed his 27-year business endorsement relationship with Nike. During his almost three-decade relationship with the athletics brand, Woods reportedly earned about $500 million, according to The Guardian.
Woods first began playing with and endorsing TaylorMade equipment in 2017 after Nike stopped making golf clubs. Woods collaborated with TaylorMade to develop the P·7TW irons before claiming a fifth green jacket at the Master Tournament in 2019.
“I am thrilled with the Sun Day Red apparel and accessories that we have put together,” Woods in a statement. “Every detail has been meticulously designed, prioritizing the athlete first at every step, resulting in a collection that exceeds the highest standards. Personally, I have loved wearing the products, and I am ready to see our brand proudly embraced all over the world.”
TaylorMade and Woods refer to Sun Day Red as “athluxury” clothing. The brand and its products are designed as functional fashion, a kind of hybrid that’s being seen across the golf apparel spectrum.
Although Nike and Woods have parted ways, the Tiger Woods brand remained on the Nike website as of Wednesday morning with several apparel and accessory pieces in limited sizes. Sun Day Red did not respond to a question about Tiger Woods product still being on the Nike site.
via https://www.aiupnow.com
Howard Ruben, Khareem Sudlow
