Luxury brand Antonio Marras acquired by Calzedonia
Antonio Marras is now in the hands of Calzedonia. The fashion house founded in 1996 by the eponymous designer has been in financial difficulty for several years and finding this investor will enable it to strengthen, and above all, relaunch itself. The Italian group, owner of Calzedonia, Intimissimi, Tezenis and Falconeri among others, will take a majority stake in the label, while the designer will continue to manage design.
Without disclosing the price of the acquisition, the two companies announced in a press release that the agreement reached will allow for “the entry of the Verona-based group into the capital of Antonio Marras srl." They specified that the agreement "includes the acquisition, on the part of Gruppo Calzedonia, of 80% of Antonio Marras and appropriate investments for the full re-launch of the brand."
The Calzedonia brand, which has a network of 5,076 points-of-sale in 55 countries, will in addition "make available its experience in retail and production, as well as its financial strength to develop the potential of the renowned Sardinian designer", while Antonio Marras "will continue to dedicate himself to the creation and realization of unique garments, accessories, objects for the home and other items inspired by his art."
Calzedonia aspires to become a major fashion group and this acquisition will allow it to strengthen its positioning towards the high-end, a market it entered in 2009 through the acquisition of the premium cashmere brand Falconeri, followed in 2015 by the purchase of Atelier Emé, specializing in wedding dresses.
As the head of the firm, Sandro Veronesi pointed out, "this agreement represents for our group the entry into a world of great exclusivity and creativity, which is new for us and which must therefore be faced with caution and respect. However, we are convinced that the art and intuition of Antonio Marras, supported by our structure, will bear excellent fruit."
The hosiery and lingerie giant, which also distributes wine through its Signorvino label, has reached €2.5 billion in sales in 2021, increasing by 29.1% at the current exchange rate and by almost 4% compared to the pre-pandemic level of 2019. It also recorded a gross operating result (EBITDA) of more than 760 million euros. In other words, a solid partner for the Algherese designer, who was also creative director of Kenzo from 2003 to 2012.
Renowned for his craftsmanship and poetic touch, Antonio Marras has been able to create a very distinctive and recognisable style over the years by using vintage pieces that he recomposes or uses in his creations, enhanced with all sorts of embellishments.
"I am happy to have reached this agreement with Sandro Veronesi. I will finally be able to devote myself exclusively to the creative aspect, being able to count on the highest level of professionals who will accompany me in this new adventure," said Marras.
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