Fashion Fund One ("the fund") announced that it has acquired 100% of TRB International SA ("the company"), the Luxembourg based holding company which owns the world-wide operations and intellectual property rights of Vilebrequin.
Vilebrequin is a unique luxury fashion brand which focuses on beach and swimwear for men and boys. The company's products are sold in 67 own stores as well as selected department stores and independent retailers in 16 countries around the world.
Vilebrequin's most important markets are France, USA and Italy. The company is registered in Luxembourg with its head office and warehouse operations in Geneva.
Pierre-Alain Blum, chairman of Lalande SA, the selling shareholder of the company, said: "We are very pleased with our partnership with Fashion Fund One. I am convinced that growth in our business will accelerate under their ownership.
With their management team's proven track record and extensive network of contacts in the fashion industry, the fund will be able to take Vilebrequin to the next level of development."
Pierre-Alain Blum will remain part of the company as non-executive director in the Supervisory Board. Hans Ouwendijk, Managing Director of Fashion Fund One, added that Vilebrequin fits perfectly with its strategy to invest in strong brands with established heritage.
"Vilebrequin is an internationally recognised brand with a distinctive product offer and a clearly defined consumer base.
It stands for superior quality and unique designs with an energetic feel, a successful formula that has been rewarded with a loyal customer base around the world.
We are confident that by leveraging the strength of the brand and by developing a new distribution strategy we will be able to accelerate the growth of the company."
Fashion Fund One will focus on expanding the company by increasing the number of own stores as well as wholesale partnerships based on department store shop-in-shops and franchise stores. The opportunities for product licensing and extensions of the product range will also be explored.
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