On the representation theory of partition (easy) quantum groups

Compact matrix quantum groups are strongly determined by their intertwiner spaces, due to a result by S.L. Woronowicz. In the case of easy quantum groups, the intertwiner spaces are given by the combinatorics of partitions, see the inital work of T. Banica and R. Speicher. The philosophy is that all quantum algebraic properties of these objects should be visible in their combinatorial data. We show that this is the case for their fusion rules (i.e. for their representation theory). As a byproduct, we obtain a unified approach to the fusion rules of the quantum permutation group $S_N^+$, the free orthogonal quantum group $O_N^+$ as well as the hyperoctahedral quantum group $H_N^+$.