Heida Birgitsdottir, co-founder and Head of Design for Icelandic brand Nikita.
Nikita, the Iceland-based brand for Girls Who Ride, launched in 1998 by Runar Omarsson and Heida Birgitsdottir, has been acquired by Finnish sport group, Amer Sports. The move was part of Amer’s ongoing strategy to invest more in action sports, including apparel and footwear brands. Amer already owns Salomon snowboards and Bonfire Apparel, headed up by Brad Steward who is Head of Action Sports at Amer. The acquisition price is unknown, but Nikita’s annual net sales were approximately 8 million Euros.
Nikita, which is mostly sold in Europe, is a coveted brand in North America, but has much smaller distribution here. They are also known for having a strong women’s snowboard and skateboard team, and support women in action sports through various events. Heida Birgitsdottir, the designer, has also gained considerable recognition for her work not only creating snowboarding outerwear, but apres ski lifestyle apparel that fits “girls who ride” as well as skate-inspired apparel. They also have a higher-end collection called Seleczion which proved her designing capabilities for sporty and stylish evening wear.
According to SGI Europe, Brad Steward who is the Head of Action Sports at Amer said, “Amer Sports is filled with people who skate, surf and snowboard, and we’ve got great brands with Salomon snowboards, Bonfire and now, Nikita. Nikita will give us a broader portfolio in the area of Action Sports, complementing Salomon snowboards and Bonfire. Amer now has a platform to grow with new consumer groups and bring a broader range of exciting, authentic products to the market.”
According to Birgitsdottir, “We are all really pleased to work with a company that can give our brand and our customers a solid base. As the Head of Design, I’m excited to see what we can create with Amer Sports’ support.”
Nikita Co-Founder and Brand Director, Runar Omarsson stated, “We are all really excited to be a part of Amer Sports. The resources of the Amer Sports provide many expansion opportunities for Nikita.”
