New Luxury Pole Buys Vionnet
MILAN — A new investment vehicle conceived with the goal to create a European luxury pole was revealed on Tuesday — and it is poised to revive the storied Vionnet brand.
Chimera Abu Dhabi and Haeres Capital have signed a joint venture setting up ChimHaeres Investment Holding, which is starting off with a bang. ChimHaeres has not only acquired the entire capital of Vionnet, but also a majority stake in storied car designer Zagato, founded in 1919, and a majority stake in Fogal, the Swiss hosiery brand founded in 1921 by Léon Fogal.
More from WWD
In addition, Haeres is folding into the new vehicle its majority equity stake in storied hat manufacturer Borsalino, established in 1857 in Alessandria, Italy.
ChimHaeres will be led by chief executive officer Philippe Camperio, founder of Haeres Capital.
“ChimHaeres embodies the shared vision of both Chimera and Haeres to build and manage a multibrands luxury and lifestyle platform,” Camperio said. “The partnership will invest in unique European assets applying a proactive management and ownership approach, through dedicated industry experts, to deliver the long-term strategies of each portfolio company.”
Camperio will be supported by a team of industry veterans, including Antonella di Pietro, Alberto Nathansohn, Giacomo Santucci and Jérôme Macario, as well as a seasoned team of experts in the operations, financial and legal fields.
The focus of the investments will initially be on Italy, France, Switzerland and the U.K., mostly high-end and aspirational brands, aiming to accelerate their growth with a focus on international expansion, digital transformation and sustainability.
“The global luxury market has shown remarkable growth and resilience in recent years despite the pandemic and various macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges,” said Mirian Khalaf, head of Chimera Abu Dhabi. “We are confident that our partnership with Haeres will enable us to capitalize on the attractive long-term fundamentals of the industry and establish ourselves as a leading investor in the European lifestyle space. We look forward to working with Philippe and his team to position appealing ‘legacy’ and ‘next-gen’ brands with favorable growth profiles to serve a younger and increasingly more global audience.”
Giovanni Maria Rossi was named chairman of ChimHaeres, and he asserted that the investment holding is “ideally positioned to become a key player in the luxury industry in Europe.”
The French haute couture label founded in 1912 by Madeleine Vionnet went through some financial setbacks in recent years. In 2018, the brand and its operating company NVO Srl went through a voluntary liquidation.
Goga Ashkenazi, chairwoman and creative director of Vionnet, took control of Vionnet in 2012, when the Kazakhstan entrepreneur acquired the fashion house from co-owners Matteo Marzotto and former Marni CEO Gianni Castiglioni. The duo first invested in Vionnet in 2009 with the intent of giving new life to the French label.
Ashkenazi assumed the role of creative director in fall 2012, following the exit of sisters Barbara and Lucia Croce at the end of August that year, and staged several fashion shows in Milan. Before the Croce sisters, Vionnet was designed by Rodolfo Paglialunga, tapped by Marzotto and Castiglioni.
As reported, the Borsalino Foundation and the City of Alessandria earlier this month opened a new museum, which will value the heritage of the historic hatmaker.
Haeres Capital is a privately owned company founded in 2011, and has been fully controlling Borsalino since 2018, winning the auction set up by Borsalino’s administrators that year. It has since expanded the brand’s markets and distribution, setting up new collaborations and adding other accessories such as leather goods, ties and scarves. In 2021, it linked with Ami Paris on a co-branded collection and tested a pop-up strategy.
Zagato was founded in Milan in 1919 by Ugo Zagato, whose experience in the aeronautics sector prior to his founding Zagato Atelier contributed to the designs of some of the world’s best Gran Turismo cars due to their sleek and aerodynamic configurations. Zagato has created collectible models for brands such as Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Porsche.
Best of WWD
