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Swiss group Maus Frères buys The Kooples

French accessible luxury brand The Kooples to launch in Hong Kong

Swiss group Maus Frères, which owns Lacoste, Gant and Aigle, has bought French fashion brand The Kooples.

SEE ALSO : Maus Frères enters into exclusive negotiations on the acquisition of The Kooples

Maus Frères International began exclusive negotiations last March with the stockholders of The Kooples: the Elicha family and the LBO France investment fund.

The Swiss group plans to add the men’s and womenswear label to its international brands division.

Meanwhile, it has also announced the appointment of former Louis Vuitton vice-president Romain Guinier as the brand’s new chief executive.

Guinier worked at L’Oréal until 1999, before taking on the role of vice-president of Louis Vuitton between March 2004 and February 2008.

He then became CEO of Aigle in March 2008, which he continued until this month.

Thierry Guibert, president of Maus Frères International and Lacoste, said: “This acquisition, handled in friendly fashion, illustrates our group’s strategic direction: developing and acquiring premium yet affordable luxury brands with the goal of creating an international fashion and luxury group.

“The Kooples will remain an independent brand, but will benefit from the synergies and savoir-faire of other members of the group – Lacoste, Aigle, Gant, Technifibre – thus developing and conquering wardrobes all over the world.”

SEE ALSO : The Kooples cooperates with Ming Xi to launch a new collection

The Kooples was founded in 2008 by brothers Alexandre, Laurent and Raphaël Elicha. It reported a turnover of €227m (£195m) in 2018 and is sold in in 32 countries worldwide, primarily in Europe and the US.

(Source: Drapers)