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The fashion industry is an ever-evolving eco-space where trends and styles change in the blink of an eye, and this year has proven to be quite a transformative season for the fashion world. From entering into a strategic partnership to fashion brands being purchased by bigger conglomerates, the biggest fashion acquisitions of 2023 are redefining boundaries and ushering in limitless creative possibilities.
In today’s highly competitive fashion arena, mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are the way to be ahead of the curve. As new brands tend to dominate the luxury market with new collections that target the young consumer, it becomes inevitable to join forces and accelerate growth. Hence, despite being at the top of their games, renowned brands acquire a majority stake in others or are clubbed under a single company.
Recent years have seen a wave of such high-profile brand acquisition deals in the fashion sector and 2023 is no exception. From Tapestry announcing its acquisition of Capri Holdings to LVMH lapping up Platinum Investment group for Tiffany & Co., there are several fashion acquisition deals to note.
These are some of the biggest acquisition deals in the fashion industry in 2023
Tapestry acquires Capri Holdings
On 10 August, Tapestry, the company that owns Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman struck a USD 8.5 billion deal to acquire Capri Holdings, the parent of brands like Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors. Once the deal is completely through, the merged entity will operate under Tapestry.
As both houses generate a revenue of nearly USD 12 billion combined, this fashion merger will give birth to a new powerhouse in American fashion. The move also gives the collective house an edge to compete with the likes of LVMH and Kering, which have brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent under their wings.
The acquisition also opens several doors for these iconic fashion brands. According to The New York Times, Tapestry can now get access to markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while Capri’s labels can have a wider window in Asia. The merger would also present scaling opportunities as the publication says the brands can “increase their direct-to-consumer businesses and save USD 200 million in operating and supply chain costs within three years.”
LVMH amps up production with a majority stake in Platinum Invest Group
Luxury brand behemoth LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton made global headlines when it acquired iconic jewellery maker Tiffany & Co. for nearly USD 16 billion in 2021. However, the Bernard Arnault-headed company was in the news in April 2023 when it announced one of the biggest mergers and acquisitions.
LVMH entered into an agreement with investors Andera Partners, Bpifrance and other shareholders to take up majority stakes in Platinum Investment Group, a French jewellery manufacturing company, to boost the manufacturing process at Tiffany & Co.
Comprising two noted jewellery manufacturers Orest and Abysse, Platinum Investment Group has a strong base of five workshops in France’s Grand Est region. Backed by solid knowledge of the manufacturing value chain, the company also hires 800 artisans and workers in France. Besides powering Tiffany & Co., these workshops will continue to serve their existing clientele as well as help other jewellery outfits under the LVMH banner, which includes Bulgari and Chaumet.
This brand deal is in line with LVMH’s vision of transforming Tiffany & Co. into a leading pop-culture brand with a rapid international presence.
Kering takes up a 30 per cent stake in Valentino
Fashion conglomerates are often on the lookout for acquiring luxury brands that generate high profits. Hence, when its star brand Gucci saw a slack in sales, Kering acquired a 30 per cent stake in the Italian luxury fashion house Valentino in June 2023.
Kering finalised the acquisition with Qatar’s investment fund Mayhoola for EUR 1.7 billion, or USD 1.87 billion, in cash. The deal also sets Kering up for a 100 per cent takeover by 2028 and will enable Mayhoola to become a shareholder in Kering.
“The strategic partnership will further support the brand elevation strategy implemented by Valentino CEO Jacopo Venturini under the ownership of Mayhoola, which turned it into one of the most admired luxury houses in the world,” said Kering.
This transaction is expected to conclude by the end of 2023.
Advent International scoops up the majority of Zimmerman pie
In one of the biggest fashion acquisitions of the year, American private equity firm Advent International took over Australian luxury fashion house Zimmerman on 8 August 2023.
According to Reuters, the deal took Zimmerman’s valuation to over 14 times its core profit, amounting to around USD 1.15 billion. Advent International took the reins from the brand’s founding family and Italian luxury fashion private equity firm Style Capital. Both the Zimmerman family and Style Capital will hold a significant minority stake, and the company will be run by the existing management.
This move is expected to help Zimmerman accelerate growth and broaden business horizons in Asia and the Middle East. Additionally, the acquisition is expected to help amp up Zimmerman’s distribution network and digital presence.
An Advent International statement says, “Advent will leverage its considerable experience within the consumer sector – which includes the recently signed investment in Parfums de Marly and INITIO Parfums Privés, as well as investments in Douglas (specialist retailer of premium beauty products, including perfumes), Orveon (owner of the bareMinerals, BUXOM, and Laura Mercier cosmetics brands), and lululemon athletica (premier speciality retailer of athletic and yoga apparel).”
Francesca’s digs deep into Richer Poorer to widen its scope
Another major fashion brand acquisition of 2023 came in May when Texas-based national fashion and accessories boutique chain Francesca’s acquired California-based digital clothing brand Richer Poorer.
The move places the latter under Francesca’s Acquisition LLC as a wholly owned subsidiary. Catering more to the youth, the acquisition will help Francesca’s tap into segments of e-commerce, a Gen-Z audience base and the wholesale market. While further terms of the deal are not known, it is clear that the brand is leaving no stone unturned to cater to its target customer needs, who fall in the age bracket of 18 to 25 years.
As part of the deal, Richer Poorer CEO Iva Pawling is appointed as the president of Richer Poorer, Franki and wholesale for the entire company. The brand’s other employees will also remain on board as operations continue normally, while the parent company now intends to relaunch it afresh in 2024.
According to Glossy, 75 per cent of Richer Poorer’s business is D2C centric. It also has a strong hold on the wholesale segment with ties to Revolve, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom. Francesca’s, on the contrary, operates over 400 stores in the US.
FullBeauty Brands acquires Eloquii Inc. from Walmart
In April, retail giant Walmart sold plus-size apparel brand Eloquii Inc. to FullBeauty Brands and marked its third offloading in 2023. As part of the deal, Eloquii will join other online fashion brands under FullBeauty Brands, which have a customer base of nearly 5 million.
Founded in 2011, Eloquii Inc. is originally a digital label offering that retails one-stop clothing solutions starting from size 14. They sell out of their website and certain wholesale accounts. Walmart made a significant move in the apparel sector when it acquired it for USD 100 million in 2018. With this, the retailer took a step to expand its online reach with higher margins in the garment and home items markets. It also paved the way for new business ideas that would help Walmart propel its digital strategy.
However, the recent divestiture is in complete contrast to Walmart’s 2017-18 strategy devised by its former head of e-commerce Marc Lore. Now, instead of “growing the number of available items,” Walmart is more focused on “improving the financials of the digital business,” says CNBC.
Authentic Brands Group dips its toes into Hunter’s intellectual property
Among the noted M&As of fashion brands, Authentic Brands Group’s takeover of Hunter’s intellectual property (IP) in June 2023 is a major acquisition deal. The New York-based brand management company that owns Reebok, Ted Baker and Juicy Couture acquired the IP of the 180-year-old British label for an undisclosed amount.
In order to pump up production, Authentic Brands Group has appointed two companies to outsource Hunter’s designing and manufacturing — the UK-based Batra Group is named “core licensee in the UK and continental Europe”. With a diverse portfolio, the Batra Group “will be responsible for designing and developing Hunter footwear, apparel and accessories and operating Hunter’s branded retail stores, wholesale distribution and e-commerce in those territories,” says Authentic Brands Group’s press release.
In the US, the company has appointed Marc Fisher Footwear, a pioneering full-service fashion footwear company, as Hunter’s main partner. It will be responsible for Hunter’s design, wholesale and e-commerce growth in the country.
This fashion acquisition will benefit Hunter, too, to reach out to consumers in Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as strategic markets in Asia.
Frasers Group acquires 5 per cent stake in Boohoo
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group, the name behind brands like Sports Direct, Flannels and House of Frasers, lapped up a 5 per cent stake in online retail store Boohoo for GBP 22 million (around USD 28 million) in June 2023. Targeting young female consumers, Boohoo’s burgeoning customer base has attracted the retail tycoon, who now ranks among the single largest shareholder of the brand.
Boohoo co-founder Mahmud Kamani remains its largest shareholder while other investors include Camelot Capital Partners, T. Rowe Price International, FIL Investment Advisors (UK) and Invesco Advisers.
This news comes right on the heels of Frasers Group’s acquisition of an 8.9 per cent stake in online electrical retailer Curry’s. Previously, Frasers Group also invested nearly GBP 75 million (around USD 95 million) to take its acquisitions to over 21 per cent in electrical group AO, as well as built up its stake to 10.6 per cent in Asos.
(Hero image credit: Dylan Gillis/ @dylandgillis/ Unsplash; Feature image credit: Michael Kors/ Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– What is the biggest brand acquisition?
The biggest brand acquisition to date is the 1999 takeover of German telecom giant Mannesmann AG by British telecom behemoth Vodafone Group. The deal amounted to a whopping USD 180.95 billion. When it went through in 2000, it became the biggest moment of mergers and acquisitions of all time.
– What is the second-largest clothing company in the world?
According to Lyst’s Hottest Fashion Brands list of 2023, Loewe is the hottest brand in the second quarter after beating Q1 numero uno Prada. The latter currently holds the second position as the hottest fashion and clothing brand. The ranking is based on shoppers’ behaviour, social media engagement, search volume and more.
– What is the largest fashion group in the world?
Dominating the luxury market in the fashion industry, Bernard Arnault-headed LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, popularly known as LVMH, is the biggest fashion group in the world. With brands like Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Fendi, Christian Dior and Givenchy under its banner, LVMH is a renowned business house.
– Who is at the top of the fashion industry?
Brands like Louis Vuitton, headed by creative directors Nicolas Ghesquière and Pharrell Williams; Gucci, headed by creative director Sabato de Sarno; Dior, headed by Maria Grazia Chiuri; Loewe, headed by Jonathan Anderson; and Valentino, headed by creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, are some of the top names of the fashion industry.
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