From 2026, Umbro’s business in France will be managed by Textiss, with the Drôme-based group taking over the British sportswear brand’s footwear and textile licence in the country.
Textiss, led by Sylvain Caire, specialises in men’s underwear and is best known for developing its Freegun brand, as well as licensed products for labels such as Pierre Cardin and Von Dutch. The group will assume responsibility for the Umbro licence from the Royer Group, which has held the rights for the past 10 years.
In a statement, Iconix Group, the owner of the Umbro brand, said it had decided to entrust Textiss with the French textile and footwear licence from 2026, describing the move as a natural progression that builds on the longstanding relationship between Iconix, Royer and Textiss. Iconix also noted that Textiss has served as Umbro’s underwear and socks licensee in France for the past decade.
Iconix said the transition would be conducted in agreement with the Royer Group and managed in an organised manner. From January 2026, Textiss will begin managing orders for the second half of 2026, with the aim of ensuring a smooth operational handover for customers and partners.
Iconix, a US-based specialist in licensed brand development, had been seeking a long-term solution for Umbro’s core product categories in France. The Royer Group assumed the licence in 2016 after Iconix acquired Umbro from Nike in 2012.
With Royer facing challenges in its footwear and sportswear activities, Iconix opted to transfer the licence to the Châteauneuf-du-Rhône-based Textiss group. Umbro currently supplies kits to French football club Le Havre AC.
