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Hunter marks brand refresh with new campaign and leadership hires

By Danielle Wightman-Stone

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Business

Image: courtesy of Hunter

British wellington boot brand Hunter is marking its refreshed identity, values and creative direction with a new season campaign celebrating the role Hunter has played in everyday exploration for over 160 years and the people who are redefining it for future generations. 

‘For The World Outside’ is the first campaign to be unveiled under the leadership of chief executive Paolo Porta, who joined Hunter from Capri Holdings-owned luxury label Jimmy Choo where he served as senior vice president of merchandising and licensing.

Since joining the company, Porta has set a clear and ambitious strategy to reposition Hunter as the leading British outdoor lifestyle brand with a meaningful connection to nature, focusing on product elevation and diversification into all-season, all-weather with sustainable practices at its core. His leadership has seen Hunter increase its e-commerce sales by 94 percent from the last quarter of 2020 to date.


Image: courtesy of Hunter

This has led to the brand unveiling a new sustainability and accountability strategy, the Hunter Protect in August, detailing how the brand will protect and support the environment and people around it, from using innovative lower impact materials to supporting its communities.

In addition, Porta has bolstered the leadership team including the brand and creative team by appointing Claudia Plant as chief marketing officer and Sandra Romboli as global design director last year, who will launch her first collection for the brand for autumn/winter 2022 in July next year.

Hunter adds to leadership team with new hires in North America region and its supply chain

Porta has also strengthened the team in key areas of the North America region and supply chain, with Lara Meiland-Shaw named as executive vice-president of the Americas in June to deliver growth through strong wholesale partnerships aligning with direct-to-consumer physical and digital activities. Meiland-Shaw joined Hunter from Moncler, where she served as vice president of wholesale and achieved double-digit annual growth over four years in the Americas wholesale business. 

On joining Hunter, Meiland-Shaw, said in a statement: “I am excited to join chief executive, Paolo Porta, and the talented team he has assembled to further realise Hunter’s true potential. I believe in Paolo’s vision of driving growth through product elevation and diversification into an all year, all-weather brand with a clear focus on sustainability. 

“There is incredible demand and love for Hunter within the Americas and we plan to build upon this momentum in the coming seasons with innovative product design and launches tailored to the American market, while simultaneously celebrating the storied Hunter Icons.” 

While Dave Powell has been appointed as chief supply chain officer and will deliver a strategic focus regarding Hunter’s internal and external processes including supply chain improvement, forecasting strategies, long term sourcing, development and freight capability. Powell, who has been consulting with Hunter since 2020, officially joined the team in his new role in July this year.

Image: courtesy of Hunter

Hunter unveils new seasonal campaign ‘For The World Outside’

The new campaign ‘For The World Outside’ was captured by photographers Ryan Lowry, Anthon Gottlob and Alexandra Leese as part of a creative collaboration with Frosty Pop celebrating seven individuals with strong connections to nature and purposeful work while highlighting Hunter’s Original Tall and Short Wellington boot.


Each of the cast are from different backgrounds, pursue different causes and live in different locations, but all have an “inspired relationship with nature and desire to impact communities in a positive way,” explains Hunter. 

Image: courtesy of Hunter

The imagery showcases not only the connection Hunter wellington boot’s have with the outdoors but also the footwear’s ability to cross the borders of age, gender, style, ethnicity, while also highlighting the important work of the cast to raise awareness and create change.

The talent taking part includes George Lamb, founder of community farm and education programme Grow based in London, Tyra Mitchell a photographer and creative director who founded Art Mom Project, an interactive community for mothers in the creative field, and Hella Tall, a 22-year-old model and self-taught fisherman based in Harlem, New York. 

Image: courtesy of Hunter

Other stars of the campaign include Florence Huntington-Whiteley, model and co-founder of creative ethics consultancy CogDis, skateboarder Stéphanie Tonnoir who started a community fridge in West Harlem with her friends during the pandemic to distribute fresh produce to the community everyday, visual and sound artist Damsel Elysium, and Lydia Pang, creative director and founder of creative consultancy Morning FYI.

Commenting on the brand refresh and appointments, Porta added: “I’m very pleased to announce the first phase of our brand evolution, establishing our new brand vision and sharing the Hunter pillars: nature, joy, creativity, heritage and protection with existing and new customers. We welcome Dave and Lara, with their knowledge and expertise, to help deliver significant further growth in the Americas as well as globally.” 

Click here to see Hunter Boot job vacancies in the UK >>

Image: courtesy of Hunter
Image: courtesy of Hunter
Footwear
Hunter
Lara Meiland-Shaw
Paolo Porta