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

Sinds 1876 zijn wij trouw aan het spel. Wij maken het innerlijke vertrouwen los dat leeft in atleten van alle niveaus, over de hele wereld, en stellen hen in staat hun beste spel te spelen. Wij beschermen de integriteit van de sport vanwege onze passie voor basketbal. Onze kwaliteitsproducten is wat ons doet opvallen en u doet uitblinken. Verken onze reis om te ontdekken waarom wij een icoon zijn in sport en innovatie.

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 gelooft dat als je rent, dat je een hardloper bent. Het maakt niet uit waar of waarom, hoe ver of snel: wij creëren de benodigdheden voor jou om je beste run te hebben. Als je rent, dan rent NATHAN met je mee.

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 ontwerpt en verkoopt sportsupplementen, sportbescherming en kleding voor actieve mensen en atleten. Het verhaal begon in 1969 toen Dr. Robert F. McDavid Jr., de naamgever en oprichter van het merk, de eerste gebruikte beschermende kniebrace voor American Football creëerde. Vandaag staan de McDavid producten op de aanbevelingslijst van profatleten, sportgeneeskundigen en atletiektrainers.
Met ons merk willen we de eerste keuze zijn voor alle atleten die op zoek zijn naar verbetering, betere bescherming en sneller herstel. We willen een essentieel onderdeel zijn van de training, motivatie en succes van elke atleet.

Shock Doctor

Sinds wij in 1992 ons eerste patent op een gebitsbeschermer kregen, is Shock Doctor nooit gestopt met het innoveren van de wetenschap van gebitsbeschermingstechnologie. Vandaag de dag en vele patenten later, biedt onze complete lijn gebitsbeschermers op maat gemaakte gelpasvormen aan. Daarnaast zijn onze gebitsbeschermers enorm licht met een innovatief design. Dit zorgt ervoor dat je optimaal beschermd wordt en tegelijkertijd makkelijker kan ademhalen of spreken.

Wij zijn wereldleider in gebitsbeschermingstechnologie en we breiden dit elk seizoen hardnekkig uit. Talloze professionele, collegiale en amateuratleten gebruiken Shock Doctor: het draait allemaal om onbevreesd tijdens het spel te zijn.

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.