Montefiore Investment seals acquisition of 51 percent of Isabel Marant

French designer Isabel Marant has sold the 51 percent of her eponymous brand to Montefiore Investment, a private equity firm. The deal has been mulled over the past couple of months, according to sources close to the matter.

Terms of the deal remain undisclosed although, as reported by ‘WWD’ and citing Isabel Marant’s “tremendous untapped potential,” Henri Topiol, a principal at the French investment fund, the plan is to develop the brand’s online and bricks-and-mortar networks.

Montefiore sees further room for growth for just acquired Isabel Marant label

“We’re convinced there is still room to grow in new territories, both geographically and in terms of product categories,” he said in an interview with ‘WWD’ earlier this week.

Topiol further explained that “Isabel Marant today is focused on ready-to-wear and shoes, and we believe that a brand of this stature could have an accessories range in the first stage and then maybe develop new categories — such as perfume or eyewear, or possibly men’s wear at some point. These are things we would like to explore.”

The conversation, started in early June, has finished with the reminding forty-nine percent of the brand’s equity shared by the fashion label’s original partners, Isabel Marant, Nathalie Chemouny and Sophie Duruflé, the label’s managing director.

“They are still very much involved, both in terms of capital and management,” added Topiol.

Founded in 1994, the label posted wholesale revenues of 150 million euros, of which more than 80 percent was generated abroad.

This deal is the first foray into the fashion world for Montefiore, whose portfolio includes budget hotel chain B&B Hotels, car-hire broker Auto Escape and marketing and opinion research firm BVA.

Image:Isabel Marant FW16, Isabel Marant Web