United Sports Brands appoints Advanced Studio as Italian distribution partner for NATHAN and PEARL iZUMi 

United Sports Brands announces the appointment of Advanced Studio as its new distribution partner for NATHAN and PEARL iZUMi in Italy, effective immediately. Led by CEO Stefano Pomogranato, Advanced Studio will support both brands’ renewed presence in the Italian market, connecting them with specialist retailers and the country’s passionate running and cycling communities. 

The partnership combines the performance expertise of NATHAN and PEARL iZUMi with a team whose careers span 30 years in the sports, outdoor and lifestyle industry. From its Milan base and through its regional sales network, Advanced Studio brings extensive experience in developing international brands, building retail relationships and turning brand ambition into lasting market presence.

“Italy is a market with a deep passion for sport, and we see tremendous potential for both brands.”
Patrick cloots
CEO / SVP International at USBE

“We are excited to see NATHAN and PEARL iZUMi represented in Italy again with the energy, focus and ambition they deserve,” said Patrick Cloots, CEO Europe / SVP International, United Sports Brands. “Italy is a market with a deep passion for sport, and we see tremendous potential for both brands. In Stefano and his team, we have found a partner with outstanding expertise, extensive experience and a real understanding of how to build brands locally. We are delighted to begin this partnership and ambitious about what we can achieve together.” 

For NATHAN, the focus will be on strengthening relationships with specialist running retailers and introducing road and trail runners to its hydration, visibility and performance accessories. Product education, testing opportunities and engagement with running communities will support the brand’s development.

“NATHAN and PEARL iZUMi each have a distinctive identity and a compelling story.”
Stefano Pomogranato
CEO of Advanced Studio

For PEARL iZUMi, Advanced Studio will focus on premium cycling apparel, working with selected retailers and connecting with riders, clubs and teams. Community engagement and the development of custom apparel opportunities will help build a lasting connection with Italian cyclists. 

“NATHAN and PEARL iZUMi each have a distinctive identity and a compelling story to share with Italian athletes and retailers,” said Stefano Pomogranato, CEO of Advanced Studio. “We are proud to have been entrusted with this next chapter. Our team brings decades of experience, strong relationships and a hands-on approach to developing brands. We are ready to get started, support our retail partners and give runners and cyclists the opportunity to discover—or rediscover—what makes these brands special.” 

The partnership takes effect immediately, with Advanced Studio serving as the local point of contact for Italian retailers and commercial enquiries. 

About Advanced Studio 

Advanced Studio is a Milan-based sales and brand development agency specialising in sports, outdoor, performance and lifestyle brands. Its expertise covers market entry, distribution development, brand positioning and marketing, supported by an established network of retailers and regional showrooms. 

Spalding

Depuis 1876, nous sommes fidèles au jeu. Nous allumons la confiance intérieure qui habite les athlètes de tous niveaux, dans le monde entier, et leur permettons de jouer leur meilleur jeu. Nous protégeons l'intégrité du sport grâce à notre passion pour la volonté qui se cache derrière le travail. Notre héritage de produits de qualité est ce qui nous permet de nous démarquer et de vous faire exceller. Explorez notre parcours pour découvrir pourquoi nous sommes une icône du sport et de l'innovation.

Dr. James Naismith, the creator of basketball, asked A.G. Spalding to develop the world’s first basketball.
 The official rules of the game later read: “The ball made by A.G. Spalding & Bros. shall be the official ball.”

Pearl Izumi

Before there was a PEARL iZUMi, there was a man and a bike. He rode that bike 60 kilometres a day, every day. Not for exercise or for the fun of it, but to deliver 40 kilograms of clothing to his customers in a neighboring village. The year: 1950. The man’s name: Kinji Shimizu. And in fourteen short years, he’d go from lugging clothing on a bike to redefining what every cyclist wore on them.

Cyclists are predestined to break away. This neverending urge is fueled by the freedom their two-wheeled companion offers, being soaked up by the ever-changing surroundings and the freeing sensation of looking at everyday life from afar.

Nathan

For more than three decades, NATHAN has created purposeful running accessories to help athletes train and compete with more ease and comfort. We have grown from a single product in 1994, the Shoe Pocket, to become the leading running essentials provider in the US while expanding our reach to over 46 countries around the world. Our passion and focus is to find innovative ways to help athletes at every level run stronger and run longer.

NATHAN croit que si vous courez, alors vous êtes un coureur. Peu importe le lieu ou la raison, la distance ou la vitesse, nous créons l'essentiel pour que vous puissiez avoir votre meilleure course. Si vous courez, alors NATHAN court avec vous.

EQYP

EQYP believes fitness is about feeling stronger, moving better, and enjoying the journey. We create purposefully designed fitness, training, and recovery equipment that combines premium performance with elevated design. By reimagining everyday fitness tools, we introduce thoughtful innovations that make workouts more engaging, activate multiple muscle groups, and deliver a better training experience.

Every product is engineered to look great, feel exceptional, and inspire confidence. When your fitness equipment works as beautifully as it looks, meaningful progress follows. After all, fitness looks good on you.

McDavid

McDavid conçoit et commercialise des produits de médecine sportive, de protection sportive et des vêtements de performance pour les personnes actives et les athlètes. La marque s'est littéralement construite sur la première genouillère fonctionnelle utilisée dans le football professionnel aux États-Unis : L'histoire a commencé en 1969 lorsque le Dr Robert F. McDavid Jr, homonyme et fondateur de la marque, a créé la première genouillère protectrice largement utilisée dans le football américain. Aujourd'hui, les produits McDavid figurent sur les listes de recommandation des athlètes professionnels, des professionnels de la médecine sportive et des entraîneurs sportifs.
Avec notre marque, nous voulons être le premier choix de tous les athlètes qui cherchent à améliorer leurs performances, à renforcer leur protection et à accélérer leur récupération. Nous voulons être un élément essentiel de l'entraînement, de la motivation et de la réussite de chaque athlète.

Shock Doctor

Depuis l'obtention de son premier brevet de protège-dents en 1992, Shock Doctor n'a jamais cessé d'innover dans le domaine de la technologie des protège-dents. Aujourd'hui, de nombreux brevets plus tard, notre gamme complète de protège-dents offre des protections multicouches, des ajustements en gel personnalisés, des profils plus bas et des protège-dents plus légers avec des conceptions innovantes qui ne compromettent pas la protection tout en facilitant la respiration et la parole.

Nous sommes les leaders mondiaux de la technologie des protège-dents, et nous étendons cette avance avec ténacité chaque saison. D'innombrables athlètes professionnels, universitaires et amateurs s'équipent avec Shock Doctor. Il s'agit d'être intelligent et sans peur.

KT Tape

Founded in 2008, KT Tape has revolutionized the sports medicine industry with the introduction of the most advanced and recognized kinesiology tape and recovery products. KT currently designs, develops, and distributes a variety of kinesiology tape lines, including KT Original (cotton) and KT Pro (synthetic) and KT Extreme (waterproof). Our goal is to provide drug-free pain relief and flexible support to help you and your muscles stay active and recovering. If an active lifestyle is your priority, and pain, post-workout muscle soreness, or injury are constantly keeping you from your daily movement or goals, KT Tape is for you.

KT Tape is an elastic sports tape designed to relieve pain while supporting muscles, tendons, and ligaments.