Dsquared2 Ends Licensing Agreement With Staff International

Dsquared2 has ended its licensing deal with Staff International, the distribution division of Margiela-owner OTB Group, ahead of the agreement’s expiration date in 2027.

Staff International has filed a lawsuit in the Court of Milan against the label’s twin designers, Dean and Dan Caten, to halt the move. Dsquared2 first signed an agreement with Staff International in 2000, and the brand renewed the deal in 2010 for another 17 years.

In a statement, the brand said, “Dsquared2 Group announces the immediate termination of its licensing agreement with Staff International S.p.A. Consequently, the group will assume direct control over the production and distribution of its ready-to-wear collections. This transition takes effect immediately and will commence with the upcoming pre-collection spring-summer 2026 sales campaign.”

Dsquared2 did not share the reason behind its decision to terminate the agreement.

Staff International, meanwhile, “reiterates its conviction that the licence agreement is fully effective and confirms its intention to fully execute it until its natural expiry. The company firmly rejects any possibility of early termination of the contractual relationship, and believes that legal conditions for early termination do not exist.”

The company stated that it “will continue to act with the utmost transparency and determination to protect its rights, honor its contractual commitments and safeguard its reputation, and reserves the right to take any further action.”