LONDON, Oct 9 — British luxury clothing brand Ted Baker has inked a global licensing agreement with watchmaker Timex Group which will see the duo release a range of branded timepieces next year.

The tie-up, aimed at expanding Ted Baker's empire, will see Timex produce branded watches for the retailer, with the collection to be sold across both Ted Baker's global retail estate and Timex Group's global distribution network in summer next year.

The Ted Baker watches will complement the brand's current apparel and accessory collections, which currently includes a wide range of collections including menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, accessories, jewellery and footwear, luggage, home interiors, fragrance and skinwear, and gifting and stationery.

Commenting on the news in a statement, Ted Baker chief executive Ray Kelvin said: "This is an exciting opportunity for Ted Baker to drive accelerated growth in our watch business by leveraging the Timex Group global footprint and infrastructure, in line with our strategy to further develop Ted Baker as a global lifestyle brand.”

The partnership sees Ted Baker join the ranks of luxury brands such as Guess, Versace and Italian fashion brand Salvatore Ferragamo, for whom the Timex Group already designs, manufactures and markets timepieces globally (via WWD). — AFP-Relaxnews