The Real Story: Who Owns Psycho Bunny and Their Path to Retail Success

Alen Brandman acquired full ownership of the distinctive menswear brand Psycho Bunny in 2021. The brand's story dates back to 2005 in Montreal, Canada, where Robert Godley and Robert Goldman established it as a necktie company. A modest neckwear line at first, the brand has changed under its current leadership. The company's retail presence has grown from three stores at the pandemic's start to 76 US locations by December 2023.

The brand creator's vision has evolved substantially through the years. After generating $20 million in sales by 2017, the brand experienced explosive growth that tripled its revenues. The company expanded beyond polo shirts to offer golf apparel, swimwear, casual shirts, and accessories.

Psycho Bunny's ambitious plans include reaching 130 stores worldwide by 2024's end. Their recent mutually beneficial alliance with Tennis Canada demonstrates the brand's impressive trajectory in the competitive fashion world.

Who Owns Psycho Bunny Today?

Psycho Bunny's ownership structure has changed significantly over the last several years and ended up in the hands of an experienced apparel industry leader. The company now operates as a privately-held business with a clear leadership hierarchy and mutually beneficial minority partnerships.

Current owner: Alen Brandman

Thread Collective CEO Alen Brandman holds the majority stake in Psycho Bunny. His experience with the brand started as an originating licensee before he saw its growth potential. Brandman acquired 100% of the operating rights and 50% of the intellectual property rights in 2017. He proved his value to the organization and gained full ownership in 2021 by buying out founders Robert Godley and Robert Goldman.

Brandman, a Harvard Business School graduate, brings 30 years of apparel industry expertise as Psycho Bunny's global CEO. He typically avoids the spotlight, but his passion for the brand's growth potential made him step forward as its public face. He describes himself as "a product guy from my toes to the top of my head".

Thread Collective as the parent company

Thread Collective acts as Psycho Bunny's parent organization. This Montreal-based company started as a children's denim manufacturer and expanded to produce apparel under license for many brands including Bebe, Hurley, Ellen Tracy, and Pajar.

Psycho Bunny stands as Thread Collective's only owned brand now. The company sold Sunice, its ski and golf label, to focus resources on Psycho Bunny's development. The brand keeps offices in both New York (its founding city) and Montreal (its current headquarters).

Minority partners: BBRC and Bertrand Cesvet

Brandman enhanced his leadership team in early 2022 by bringing in two key minority partners. BBRC, a private investment firm led by Australian billionaire businessman Brett Blundy, joined first. Blundy's reputation stems from his exceptional retail operations.

Brandman's choice to include Blundy came naturally: "When I met him, I said, 'I need that guy'". Blundy now guides Psycho Bunny's aggressive retail expansion in domestic and international markets.

Bertrand Cesvet, the former CEO and chairman of Sid Lee, a commercial creativity firm, became the second minority partner. Cesvet's product expertise helps shape Psycho Bunny's global expansion strategy. These three retail and creative visionaries have taken Psycho Bunny to new heights in the competitive menswear market.

The Founders and the Birth of Psycho Bunny

The story of Psycho Bunny started when two men named Robert—Robert Godley and Robert Goldman—launched their distinctive menswear brand in 2005. The brand's beginnings were modest. Both founders pooled together about $25,000 to create their first neckwear collection.

Who created Psycho Bunny?

Robert Godley brought his expertise as a British tie designer from prestigious companies like Drake's of London and Turnbull & Asser to America. His stint as head creative at Polo Ralph Lauren lasted just six weeks because of creative differences. "I was too opinionated," he said. Robert Goldman, his future partner, worked hard to keep his family's neckwear manufacturing business running—a company that traced its roots to 1919.

Robert Godley and Robert Goldman's vision

The two Roberts' paths crossed at the Designers Collective in New York about 20 years ago. They clicked right away as "neckwear guys." Their partnership took off after Goldman challenged Godley to get an order from Barneys—which he did. They shared a clear vision: to create clothes that blended classic American sportswear with a modern twist and challenged traditional masculinity.

The brand's name came about by chance. A buyer saw a tie with a Donnie Darko-style rabbit skull and exclaimed, "Look at the psycho bunny!" The name stuck naturally. Godley created their iconic logo to give men an edgier alternative to Ralph Lauren's horse or Lacoste's crocodile.

Early success with polo shirts and ties

We focused on handmade English silk neckwear at launch, but soon expanded into polo shirts—a move that ended up defining our brand identity. The journey wasn't smooth. The first batch of polos from Turkey disappointed us so much that "we threw away 5,000 shirts." After trying Chinese manufacturing without success, we found our perfect partner in Peru.

Our commitment to quality paid off. Psycho Bunny grew into a $20 million business by 2017. The brand became known for exceptional quality—using 100% pima cotton, taped seams, mother-of-pearl buttons, and their signature logo with over 3,000 stitches.

From Licensee to Owner: The Transition Story

A crisis that threatened Psycho Bunny's existence started the brand's journey to its current ownership structure. The company's transformation from licensee to owner altered the map of its future and positioned it for retail dominance.

Operational struggles and Brandman's entry

Psycho Bunny's growing popularity in 2013 couldn't prevent serious operational problems that put its future at risk. The founders reached out to Alen Brandman, their outerwear licensee and Thread Collective's CEO. His Harvard Business School background and success in creating profitable businesses helped him see opportunities where others noticed only problems.

Brandman stepped in to help the struggling brand. He took control of all production operations and became the third equity partner with Godley and Goldman in 2016. This partnership became the catalyst for the brand's transformation.

Acquisition of production and IP rights

Brandman made a bold move in 2017. He bought all operating rights and half of Psycho Bunny's intellectual property rights. This decision gave him the power to shape the brand's direction.

The brand expanded beyond its signature polo shirts through collaboration with Thread Collective employees. Their work together led to new product lines in golf apparel, swimwear, casual shirts, shorts, underwear, loungewear, fleece, and accessories.

Full ownership and leadership changes

Brandman's acquisition of full ownership in 2021 marked a new chapter for Psycho Bunny. The founders, Godley and Goldman, left the business they created. Brandman noted, "They walked away happy".

The next year, Brandman created a "powerhouse leadership group." He brought in BBRC, a private investment firm led by retail executive Brett Blundy, and Bertrand Cesvet, Sid Lee's former CEO and chairman, as minority shareholders. This team of "creative and retail visionaries" came together to take Psycho Bunny to unprecedented heights in retail.

Retail Expansion and Global Growth Strategy

Psycho Bunny's retail expansion has shown remarkable results on multiple continents since its owner Alen Brandman took full control. His vision has shaped the brand's transformation into a global retail force.

US and Canadian store rollouts

Psycho Bunny tested the retail waters with a pop-up store in Florida around 2018-2019. The brand grew rapidly in the United States and opened 20 stores in 2021 alone. The company planned 29 new US locations for 2022 and wanted to reach 62 total US stores by year-end. The brand now runs 76 stores throughout the United States as of December 2023.

Canada holds special significance for the brand. Psycho Bunny launched its first Canadian store in Toronto in December 2022. The brand expanded to eight locations by late 2023 and ended up reaching 15 Canadian stores. The company will open its 100th North American store in Quebec City. Future plans include new stores in Calgary, Ottawa, and more locations in Greater Toronto and Montreal.

International markets: Japan, Mexico, UAE

Psycho Bunny has built a strong global presence beyond North America. The brand runs about 30 stores in Latin America and has built a loyal following in Japan with 18 golf-focused stores. The brand entered the Middle East market in September 2023 with its first store in Dubai's Mall of the Emirates through a partnership with regional distributor Majid Al Futtaim.

Omnichannel upgrades and tech investments

The rapid growth required significant technology upgrades. Psycho Bunny rolled out Deposco's Bright Suite omnichannel platform across 60+ stores in just six months. This new system cut order processing time from 2-5 days to under 48 hours with ship-from-store capabilities. Sales jumped 30% as physical stores became quick fulfillment hubs for online orders.

Partnerships and brand collaborations

Strategic partnerships have fueled the brand's growth. Psycho Bunny signed a three-year deal with Tennis Canada in January 2024 to become the official athletic apparel sponsor for all Canadian tennis teams. Tennis legend Andy Roddick joined as a global brand ambassador, which boosted the brand's standing in tennis.

Conclusion

Alen Brandman is the driving force behind Psycho Bunny's retail success story. Robert Godley and Robert Goldman started it as a necktie company in 2005, but the brand took a different path under Brandman's leadership. He bought full ownership in 2021 and brought in retail expert Brett Blundy and creative genius Bertrand Cesvet to push the brand forward.

Two "neckwear guys" turned their modest $25,000 investment into a global retail powerhouse. Brandman's business sense and clear vision steered the company from crisis to triumph. The numbers tell the story - from $20 million in sales in 2017 to an impressive expansion from three stores when the pandemic hit to 76 US locations by late 2023.

The brand has grown well beyond North America. Psycho Bunny now runs about 30 stores in Latin America, 18 golf-focused stores in Japan, and keeps growing in the Middle East. Strategic collaborations with Tennis Canada and brand ambassador Andy Roddick have made the brand stronger in athletic apparel.

The rise of Psycho Bunny from a struggling niche brand to a thriving global retailer shows what visionary ownership can do. The iconic logo with over 3,000 stitches stays the same, but everything else has changed. The company aims to reach 130 stores worldwide by the end of 2024, which means this retail success story isn't over yet. This bunny keeps hopping forward.

FAQs

Q1. Who currently owns Psycho Bunny?

Alen Brandman is the current owner of Psycho Bunny, having acquired full ownership of the brand in 2021. He serves as the global CEO and majority shareholder.

Q2. How did Psycho Bunny start?

Psycho Bunny was founded in 2005 by Robert Godley and Robert Goldman as a necktie company. They started with a $25,000 investment and initially focused on handmade English silk neckwear before expanding into polo shirts.

Q3. What is Psycho Bunny's retail expansion strategy?

Psycho Bunny has pursued an aggressive retail expansion, growing from just three stores at the start of the pandemic to 76 stores in the US by December 2023. The brand also has a significant presence in Canada, Latin America, Japan, and has recently entered the Middle East market.

Q4. Is Psycho Bunny considered a luxury brand?

Yes, Psycho Bunny is considered a luxury menswear brand. It's known for its high-quality products, including polo shirts made from 100% pima cotton with taped seams and mother-of-pearl buttons, as well as its distinctive logo with over 3,000 stitches.

Q5. Has Psycho Bunny partnered with any notable figures or organizations?

Yes, Psycho Bunny has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its brand presence. In January 2024, they announced a three-year partnership with Tennis Canada as the official athletic apparel sponsor. They've also signed tennis legend Andy Roddick as a global brand ambassador.