Curio Brands – a fragrance company that owns Capri Blue and Thymes – acquired direct-to-consumer candle company Otherland. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Otherland’s co-founders, Abigail Cook Stone and Sayyid Markar, will stay on at Curio. The candle brand will also remain headquartered in New York City, with Stone overseeing brand strategy and execution while Markar supports Otherland’s operations and supply chain.

DTC cookware brand Great Jones has been acquired by conglomerate Meyer Corporation for an undisclosed sum. Meyer is the maker of brands like KitchenAid, Farberware and Rachael Ray.

Great Jones’ CEO and co-founder Sierra Tishgart will remain the brand’s chief executive while also taking on an executive creative director role at Meyer. The brand will also remain headquartered in New York City following the deal.

The acquisition will help fuel international retail development and product expansion by tapping into Meyer’s operational support. Meyer has served as a supplier and minority investor in Great Jones’ previous fundraising.

Brand management company Authentic Brands Group on June 2 added British boot maker Hunter, known for its rubber Wellington style, to its portfolio. The 160-year-old brand also sells men’s, women’s and children’s waterproof and weatherproof footwear, outerwear, bags and accessories.

Terms were not disclosed. U.K. licensing and distribution management company and ABG partner Batra Group will design and develop Hunter footwear, apparel and accessories, and manage the brand’s e-commerce, wholesale distribution and licensing in the U.K. and Europe. Longtime ABG partner Marc Fisher Footwear will take on those responsibilities in the U.S.

Ingka Investments, the investment arm of Ikea’s franchisee Ingka Group, acquired Made4net for an undisclosed sum, according to a company announcement. With Made4net’s technology, Ikea can speed up its deliveries, accurately fulfill orders and better manage its supply chain. 

Ingka Group will deploy Made4net’s tech across its stores, while Made4net will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary from its New Jersey headquarters and six international offices.

May 25, 2023

Vince announced the closing of its transaction with Authentic Brands Group. 

“With the proceeds from this transaction, we strengthened our financial foundation by repaying in full the outstanding balance of $27.7 million under our Term Loan Credit Facility as well as a portion of the outstanding borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility,” Jack Schwefel, CEO of Vince Holding, said in a statement. “With a stronger balance sheet in place, we are now better positioned to enhance our focus on driving margin expansion and executing against our strategic growth initiatives.”

April 21, 2023

Authentic Brands Group struck a deal to purchase the intellectual property of Vince. Under the deal, Vince Holding Corp. will move Vince’s IP to a newly formed subsidiary controlled by ABG. In return, Vince Holding Corp. will receive $76.5 million in cash and a 25% ownership stake in the subsidiary, to be called ABG Vince.

Regent, a Los Angeles-based investment firm, acquired Zulily from Qurate Retail Group, the parent company of QVC and HSN. Qurate didn’t disclose the transaction’s full terms but it did announce that as a part of the deal, Qurate repaid Zulily’s $80 million outstanding debt.

Qurate acquired Zulily for $2.4 billion in 2015. But the unit hadn’t performed well in recent years, and it regularly saw the largest losses in revenue within the Qurate brand portfolio. 

In May, Qurate CEO David Rawlinson said Zulily’s sale was part of a long-term strategy.

“We are in the midst of a turnaround at Qurate Retail,” Rawlinson said. “This divestiture will allow our management team to better focus on our core video commerce assets, QVC and HSN, and the Cornerstone Brands, while preserving liquidity to further strengthen our balance sheet.”

EBay agreed to purchase Certilogo, an AI-powered digital ID and authentication company, for an undisclosed sum. 

The deal will strengthen eBay’s ability to authenticate designer garments for secondhand shoppers.

“For many years, consumers have turned to eBay as a trusted destination for buying and selling pre-loved apparel and fashion goods, not only because of the unmatched selection, but because of our commitment to utilizing the latest technology to empower our sellers and buyers,” Charis Marquez, vice president of eBay, said in a statement. “Certilogo’s technology and talented team allows eBay to build on this commitment, establishing eBay as a leader in pre-loved fashion, and offering new ways for consumers to connect and engage with brands.”

FemTec Health, a women’s health company, sold Birchbox’s assets to e-commerce and subscription company Retention Brands for an undisclosed amount. 

Birchbox – the beauty subscription box brand – was acquired by FemTec Health in October 2021 for about $45 million. Birchbox co-founder Katia Beauchamp has since moved on to become CEO of Victoria Beckham Beauty.

In the months leading up to FemTec's sale of the business, Birchbox stopped fulfilling customer orders and left some vendors without payment. Along with the news that retention brands acquired the beauty company’s assets, FemTec Health announced creditors could submit claims for money owed.

Solo Brands in May announced it acquired TerraFlame — which sells fire pits, fire bowls and an indoor portable s’mores roaster — for an undisclosed amount.

TerraFlame’s team will become a part of Solo Brands and its CEO, Lenny Vainberg, will become TerraFlame’s general manager.

“We hope to leverage our direct to consumer and wholesale expertise to support TerraFlame’s growth while also leaning into TerraFlame’s shared passion for product innovation and incredible products to elevate the Solo Brands customer experience,” Solo Brands CEO John Merris said in a statement.

The acquisition helps bolster Solo Brands’ portfolio of companies, which include Solo Stove, Chubbies, Oru Kayak and Isle.

Franchise Group, the parent company of brands that include The Vitamin Shoppe and Pet Supplies Plus, announced in May it was going private in a deal valued at $2.6 billion. The company will be acquired by Brian Kahn, Franchise Group’s CEO, and other members of the company’s senior management team, alongside financial partners including B. Riley Financial and Irradiant Partners, a private equity firm.

Kahn said the deal allows the company to deliver value to stockholders “despite a challenging business environment” and it also allows Franchise Group to continue its partnerships “with high-quality franchisees, operators and financial institutions.”

Franchise Group employed about 8,500 full-time and 5,600 part-time workers as of Dec. 31, 2022. The company’s brand portfolio also includes Wag N’ Wash, American Freight, Badcock Home Furniture & More, Buddy’s Home Furnishings and Sylvan Learning.

Tempur Sealy International on May 9 announced a deal to acquire Mattress Firm in a stock-and-cash deal valued at about $4 billion. About $2.7 billion of cash consideration includes the repayment of Mattress Firm’s debt and other items, and 1.3 billion in stock will be issued to Mattress Firm shareholders.

Tempur Sealy expects to begin realizing various marketing and other synergies by the end of year two and to realize at least $100 million in annual run-rate synergies by the end of year four.

Mattress Firm has sold brands from Tempur Sealy – which include Tempur-Pedic, Sealy and Stearns & Foster lines as well as various private labels – for 35 years.  Mattress Firm’s more than 2,300 brick-and-mortar retail stores, e-commerce, and sleep education and tracking platforms complement Tempur Sealy’s DTC operations, “enabling a seamless omni-channel ecosystem that meets the needs of more consumers nationwide,” the companies said.

Francesca’s on May 2 announced a deal to acquire Richer Poorer — launched by CEO Iva Pawling in 2010 — for an undisclosed amount. 

Richer Poorer started out selling socks via wholesale before pivoting to DTC. Its assortment now also includes other wardrobe basics. 

Pawling will continue to lead the brand as well as the Francesca’s Franki tween line and its wholesale operations.

FullBeauty Brands, a conglomerate of plus-size apparel labels and retailers, in April said it would acquire DTC brand Eloquii from Walmart for an undisclosed amount.

The plus-size brand is yet another to be off-loaded by Walmart in recent years, undoing an acquisition spree of various e-commerce businesses that began in 2016. In a statement, a Walmart spokesperson said since acquiring Eloquii in 2018 for a reported $100 million, “Walmart.com has grown to hundreds of millions of items, and we’ve decided it’s the right time to sell Eloquii.”

Eloquii co-founder and brand chief Julie Carnevale will remain. The brand is set to anchor a new FullBeauty digital mall, joined initially by SwimSuitsForAll and June+Vie. It will also be part of an existing digital mall that features other FullBeauty brands.

The purchase will allow FullBeauty Brands to expand further into the $81 billion women’s plus fashion market in the U.S., which the company noted is growing three times faster than women’s apparel overall and remains an underserved market.

“While we hope to bring scale and platform expertise to bear, we will also humbly be learning from Julie and the talented Eloquii team, who are the soul of the Eloquii brand DNA, and who fortunately are joining us on this next phase of the Eloquii journey,” FullBeauty CEO Jim Fogarty said in a statement.

Direct-to-consumer apparel company Universal Standard acquired plus-size luxury womenswear brand Henning in April. Henning will be fully incorporated into Universal Standard’s brand, with Henning’s workwear focus to contribute to Universal Standard’s fall 2023 collection.

“Despite current trends suggesting otherwise, the future of fashion is rooted in inclusivity and we are confident that embracing size-inclusivity will continue to be profitable for the business,” Universal Standard CEO Polina Veksler said in a statement. “Our acquisition of Henning is the next wave of our vital mission to make fashion more accessible for all people, whether a size 2 or size 32.”

Henning’s founder Lauren Chan joins Universal Standard as its head of brand partnerships.

May 24, 2023

Express and brand management firm WHP Global closed on their acquisition of Bonobos in May. With the move, WHP Global’s portfolio, which also includes Toys R Us, Babies R Us and Anne Klein, grew to about 10 brands.

“Bonobos is delivering double-digit sales growth and we plan to continue that momentum while also realizing operating synergies and other economies of scale,” Express CEO Tim Baxter said in an April announcement. “This is a compelling addition to our brand portfolio, and I expect the transaction will be accretive to operating income and free cash flow positive in fiscal 2023.”

April 13, 2023

Walmart in April sold Bonobos for $75 million – less than a quarter of what it paid for the DTC menswear brand in 2017. The retail giant then was in the midst of acquiring several online apparel brands, but recently has begun selling them off.

Express Inc., which runs apparel retailers Express and UpWest, will pay $25 million for Bonobos’ operating assets and will assume related liabilities, while brand management firm WHP Global is paying $50 million for the Bonobos brand.

While Walmart developed a Bonobos sub-brand to sell in its stores, the DTC company has remained largely independent. Some observers saw that tie-up as a poor fit and said Bonobos may have a better chance of thriving with Express in charge.

“Bonobos is the latest brand to be offloaded and is being sold for way under the price Walmart paid for it back in 2017,” GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders said in emailed comments. “Other than learning from and experimenting with Bonobos, Walmart ultimately didn’t really know what to do with the brand and didn’t have all that much ambition to develop it.”

Disruptor mattress company Casper in April announced plans to sell its Canadian operations to traditional Canadian retailer Sleep Country.

Sleep Country will receive a $4.5 million marketing transition fee from Casper over the next three years and get three-year warrants that could convert into a roughly 1% stake in Casper once exercised, per the release. Additionally, Sleep Country invested $20 million in five-year convertible notes that could convert into about 5% of Casper’s shares.

“We are thrilled to expand upon our retail journey by partnering up with one of North America’s top sleep retailers,” Emilie Arel, CEO of Casper, said in a statement. “Sleep Country has been a retail mattress legacy for almost 3 decades, and sharing best practices with this leading retailer only helps accelerate our expertise and rapid growth in the retail omnichannel space.”

L’Oréal Group entered into an agreement with Natura & Co. to acquire luxury beauty brand Aesop for $2.5 billion.

“I am very excited to welcome Aesop and its teams to the L’Oréal Groupe family,” Nicolas Hieronimus, chief executive officer at L’Oréal Groupe, said in a statement. “Aesop is the epitome of avant-garde beauty, whose products are not only made with great care and exceptional attention to detail; they are a superb combination of urbanity, hedonism and undeniable luxury.”

Aesop operates about 400 points of sale across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. The beauty brand reported gross sales of $537 million in 2022, and Natura acquired a majority stake in 2012 for about 68 million Australian dollars.

May 17, 2023

B. Riley Financial acquired an equity interest in lifestyle apparel brand Scotch & Soda. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

The news came a few days after Bluestar Alliance – which previously announced it would buy the brand out of bankruptcy – said it completed an affiliate acquisition of Scotch & Soda’s U.S. assets.

Scotch & Soda closed several U.S.-based stores prior to the announcements, including in key markets such as California and New York City.

March 27, 2023

About a week after the brand filed for bankruptcy in the Netherlands, Scotch & Soda announced it had been acquired by brand management company Bluestar Alliance. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Bluestar continues to strategically build its portfolio and we see Scotch & Soda as a unique fit, widely known for its roots in Amsterdam and celebrating self-expression with a modern twist on timeless fashion pieces,” Joseph Gabbay, Bluestar Alliance chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Scotch & Soda will continue its business in select markets. Bluestar Alliance has a portfolio of brands including Bebe, Justice and Brookstone.

In February, Dick’s Sporting Goods agreed to buy online outdoor retailer Moosejaw from Walmart for an undisclosed amount, and will run it as part of Public Lands, its outdoor business. Moosejaw CEO Eoin Comerford will report to Public Lands President Todd Spaletto.

Walmart bought the e-retailer in 2017 for about $51 million, part of a concerted effort at the time to build up an e-commerce portfolio of brands. Moosejaw, known for its humorous marketing tactics, was founded in 1992 and runs a few physical stores in addition to its online business.

“We believe there’s potential to grow the Moosejaw business and provide compelling experiences and an expanded product assortment to its millions of loyal customers,” Spaletto said in a statement.

EBay purchased 3PM Shield, a company that provides AI-based marketplace compliance solutions, for an undisclosed sum in February. 3PM Shield’s tech will allow the marketplace to better spot suspicious or harmful sellers on its platform as well as fraudulent, illegal or otherwise unsafe items. 

“It is a top priority to help ensure that eBay remains a safe and trusted environment for our global community of sellers and buyers, particularly to prevent counterfeits and unsafe or illegal products,” Zhi Zhou, chief risk officer at eBay, said in a statement. “3PM Shield has been a valued and effective external partner in helping eBay tackle these challenges and we look forward to unlocking additional capabilities as we bring their technologies in-house.”

Wolverine Worldwide sold Keds to Designer Brands, parent company of DSW, in a sale that closed on Feb. 4.

“We are particularly pleased to have reached this agreement with Designer Brands, a longtime retail partner of ours and a natural fit to guide the iconic Keds brand into its next phase,” Brendan Hoffman, Wolverine Worldwide’s CEO, said in a statement.

At the end of 2022, Wolverine announced that it would shed Keds in order to cut costs and continue revenue growth. The company said at the time that the brand was one of its low-profit contributors.

In January, American Exchange Group acquired White Mountain Footwear. The multi-division manufacturer and wholesaler of shoes and accessories previously acquired luxury footwear brand Aerosoles in 2022. American Exchange plans to integrate the two businesses, including sourcing and manufacturing, as well as expand their distribution channels.

White Mountain is currently sold at Macy’s, Amazon, DSW and more. American Exchange Group Chief Strategy Officer Steve Velasquez also stated in a press release that the company could expand White Mountain's merchandise beyond women’s footwear.

Marquee Brands in January provided a minority investment to maternity brand Hatch and additionally gave up operational control of three of its brands — Destination Maternity, A Pea in the Pod and Motherhood Maternity — to Hatch CEO Ariane Goldman. As a result of the deal, a new parent company dubbed Hatch Collective was formed, led by Goldman.

Marquee will retain ownership over the intellectual property of those brands and has gained a board seat on Hatch Collective.

Procter & Gamble on Jan. 11 announced its intent to acquire textured hair care brand Mielle Organics, pending regulatory approval. Mielle said in an Instagram post that it had no plans to change any product formulas, and it will act as an independent subsidiary of P&G Beauty. 

While specifics about the transaction were not disclosed, both companies have committed $10 million to the non-profit Mielle Cares, which is focused on “providing resources and support to advance education and economic opportunities in Black and Brown communities.”

Vince Holdings sold Rebecca Taylor’s intellectual property and certain ancillary assets to RT IPCO, an affiliate of Ramani Group. The company said it wanted to close Rebecca Taylor in order to focus on its core business. 

“In light of the continued challenging macro environment and after careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to exit the Rebecca Taylor business,” Vince CEO Jack Schwefel said on a call with analysts at the time. “This decision will allow us to focus all of our resources on the growth and profitability of the Vince brand going forward.”

Designer Brands Inc., the parent company of DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, announced Dec. 19 that it acquired Topo Athletic, an outdoor footwear and performance athletic company. Designer Brands did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.

Topo founder and CEO Tony Post will stay on as CEO. He will report to Designer Brands’ President Bill Jordan. Designer Brands has about 650 DSW and The Shoe Company locations in the U.S. and Canada.

Expanding its product offerings through its owned brands and private labels is a key part of the company’s strategy and “allows us to control our own destiny with access to the brands our customers love,” the company said earlier in the year.

Global fashion company Lanvin Group and Primavera Capital Acquisition Corporation in December announced Lanvin’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LANV.

Lanvin Group raised $150 million through the transaction. In October, the company cut its valuation to $1 billion, down from the previous $1.25 billion it stated earlier in the year. The company announced in the fall of 2021 that it had formed Lanvin Group, a change from its previous name, Fosun Fashion Group. It owns Lanvin, Sergio Rossi, Wolford, St. John and Caruso.

"Listing on the NYSE today marks an important milestone in our strategy to build a portfolio of iconic luxury fashion brands,” Joann Cheng, CEO of Lanvin Group, said in a statement. “The Group's rapidly improving performance in recent years has demonstrated the strength of our global platform and the success of our innovative growth strategy.”

Gap Inc. agreed to sell its Gap Greater China business to e-commerce solution provider Baozun, who will operate the company’s in-market site and stores under a franchise agreement.

Baozun has partnered with Gap Greater China since 2018.

The deal is an all-cash transaction with a primary consideration of $40 million, subject to adjustments within a limit of $50 million. It is expected to close in the first half of 2023.

Feb. 3, 2023

Sycamore Partners in early February announced it closed on its deal to acquire Lowe’s Canadian business. The unit, which will now operate under the name Rona, will include approximately 450 operated or serviced corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores under the banners Rona, Lowe's, Réno-Dépôt and Dick's Lumber.

"We are excited to announce that Rona is once again an independent company headquartered in Boucherville, Quebec," Stefan Kaluzny, managing director of Sycamore Partners, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with Rona's 26,000 associates and over 200 dealer partners to meet the home improvement needs of Canadian families, builders, and contractors."

Nov. 3, 2022

Lowe’s in early November announced it entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Canadian business to private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $400 million in cash.

Lowe’s Canadian unit has more than 450 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores under the banners Rona, Lowe’s Canada, Reno-Depot and Dick’s Lumber.

The business represents about 7% of the home improvement retailer’s full-year 2022 sales outlook and represents about 60 basis points of dilution on its consolidated operating margin for the period.

The deal is expected to close in early 2023, and the company anticipates a pre-tax non-cash impairment charge of about $2 billion on Lowe’s third quarter earnings statement.

Jan. 3, 2023

Victoria’s Secret on Jan. 3 said it closed on its acquisition of Adore Me and that it expected the DTC lingerie brand to create “meaningful sales and profit upside opportunities.” The company noted that Adore Me expects some $250 million in profitable sales for 2022. Wells Fargo analysts said they expect the newly acquired brand to add $210 million to the intimate giant’s 2023 revenue.

Nov. 1, 2022

On Nov. 1, Victoria’s Secret said it struck a deal to acquire DTC intimates brand Adore Me for $400 million in cash. 

Adore Me’s growth potential, inclusivity, “Home Try-On” service, technology, monthly subscription options and B Corp. status will “improve the Victoria’s Secret and Pink customer shopping experience and accelerate the modernization of [the company’s] digital platform,” the company said in a press release.

Goat Group has furthered its ongoing evolution with a deal to acquire Grailed for an undisclosed amount, following its investment into the streetwear resale marketplace last year. The merged entity will boast more than 50 million members in 170 countries.

Goat merged with rival Flight Club in 2018 and brought athletic footwear chain Foot Locker to its investor roster in 2019.

Order volume more than doubled in the last 12 months, the company said in its press release. As of mid-2021, the company reported $2 billion in gross merchandise value in the previous 12 months, according to a March research note from Wedbush analysts.

Walmart announced that it acquired e-grocery automation firm Alert Innovation, which produces custom-built inventory-handling technology. The company’s system is designed to store, retrieve and dispense orders by using robots that move omnidirectionally without lifts or conveyors. Walmart will be able to scale the company’s capabilities, and speed pickup and delivery for customers via the tech.

Jan. 5, 2023

Naver on Jan. 5 completed its acquisition of Poshmark. As a result of the deal, Poshmark was delisted from the Nasdaq. The secondhand platform will continue to operate under its existing brand, maintain its current employee base, and will stay headquartered in Redwood City, California. The two companies are focused on increasing conversion rates, improving user experience and want to “create an industry leader in livestreaming commerce.”

Oct. 3, 2022

Less than two years after its IPO, Poshmark cut a $1.2 billion deal to sell itself to South Korean search and e-commerce giant Naver.  

The companies said in the announcement that the merger aims to combine “Poshmark’s unique discovery-based social shopping platform and deeply engaged community with Naver’s technological prowess in upleveling the e-commerce experience.”

The deal surprised at least some analysts, coming as it did so soon after Poshmark's IPO and with so much growth potential in the resale market. Under the deal, Poshmark would sell all of its stock to Naver for $17.90 a share, a premium to its current trading price but far below its IPO price.

The parties expect the deal to close in the first quarter of 2023.

After announcing the deal in July, intimates brand Knix on Sept. 26 closed on its deal to be acquired by global health and hygiene brand Essity. The acquisition values Knix at $400 million.

Joanna Griffiths, who founded the company in 2013, will stay on as president of Knix and will continue to lead the brand.

Through the deal, Essity acquired 80% of Knix’s shares for $320 million, while Griffiths maintained a 20% stake.

EBay announced that it entered into an agreement to acquire TCGplayer, a technology platform for the collectibles industry. The total value of the deal is around $295 million, and it is expected to close the first quarter of 2023. TCGplayer will continue to operate independently following the acquisition. The acquisition will provide eBay with capabilities like order fulfillment and cart optimization.

Trading cards as a category has been growing at eBay, hitting $2 billion in transactions during the first half of 2021.

Coming on the heels of its $490 million acquisition of Diamonds Direct last fall, Signet Jewelers agreed in August to buy Blue Nile for $360 million in cash. 

The deal would automatically place Blue Nile, which is owned by Bain Capital and made half a billion dollars in sales in 2021, at the top of Signet’s luxury banners and will accelerate its expansion of bridal offerings and grow what it calls its “accessible luxury” portfolio. Signet also pointed to Blue Nile’s “attractive customer demographic that is younger, more affluent, and ethnically diverse which will broaden our customer acquisition funnel.” 

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter, and Signet expects to begin reaping financial benefits from the acquisition next year. Blue Nile had previously announced plans to go public through a SPAC deal.

Amazon announced in August that it plans to acquire Roomba vacuum creator iRobot for around $1.7 billion.

The news showed that Amazon was looking to expand its reach into the homes of consumers, adding iRobot’s mapping and cleaning technology to its list of home gadgets, which includes Blink security devices and the Alexa assistant.

Amazon’s planned deal still needs to go through regulatory approval, but if approved, will further the company’s technological capabilities.

As it continues beefing up its omnichannel capabilities, Walmart said in August it is acquiring Volt Systems for an undisclosed amount. The software company positions itself as a solution for omnichannel management, with its products focusing on vendor management and product tracking, among other areas.

In its release announcing the deal, Walmart said that Volt “provides suppliers with enhanced on-demand visibility into merchandising resources,” and the tech company’s application “delivers current store-level data, actionable analytics, and shelf intelligence for suppliers to plan, forecast, and optimize product assortment.” With the acquisition, Walmart will take on Volt System’s talent, technology and customer agreements

Walmart announced in late June that it would acquire augmented reality optical tech firm Memomi for an undisclosed sum. Memomi employees will become part of the Walmart Global Tech organization. With this acquisition, the retail giant aims to further its strategy of using technology to “improve engagement, health equity and outcomes.”

Memomi has provided digital tech measurement tools at Walmart and Sam’s Club locations since 2019.

Foot Locker announced in June that it had sold the team sales unit of its Eastbay brand to BSN Sports, a division of Bain Capital-owned Varsity Brands. The team sales business, which dates back to 1980, had a sales team of more than 100 that engaged with thousands of high school coaches and athletic directors. It became part of Foot Locker when the footwear retailer bought Eastbay in 1997. At the time of the sale, it accounted for less than 1% of Foot Locker’s yearly sales.

The divestiture comes as Foot Locker continues merging its Champs Sports and Eastbay brands and operations. Later this year, Eastbay’s online presence will be folded into Champs’ website.

EBay announced on June 22 that it acquired non-fungible token marketplace KnownOrigin, according to a company announcement. The deal also closed that day, but further terms were not disclosed.

KnownOrigin gives artists and collectors a space to create, buy and resell NFTs through blockchain-supported transactions. 

The acquisition comes about a year after eBay allowed the buying and selling of NFTs on its own platform. The company expects that it will usher in “a new era of digital collecting to the world’s top destination for collectibles.”

Running shoe store franchise Fleet Feet struck a deal to acquire the New England-based running shoe retailer Marathon Sports in June for an undisclosed amount. The deal also includes Marthon’s soundRunner and Runner’s Alley brands, as well as its e-commerce business. The parties expect the deal to close in July. 

Under the deal, Marathon Sports will operate as a separate but wholly owned entity, and it will keep its current leadership and Massachusetts headquarters. 

Marathon Sports’ owners Colin and Penny Peddie plan to retire at the same time as the deal completion. With the retirement, Ben Cooke, who most recently served as vice president of business development and flagship retail for Fleet Feet and has held management roles at Princeton Running Company and Running Specialty Group, will take over as president of Marathon Sports.

Athleta, in a deal brokered by Gap Inc.’s Strategic Growth Office, has joined specialist consumer fund IRIS in leading an $8 million series A funding round into Saysh. As part of the investment, Gap Inc. has acquired an equity stake in Saysh, and Athleta will showcase the brand’s footwear on Athleta.com. 

Athleta, now Gap Inc.’s fastest-growing brand, signed track-and-field star Allyson Felix as its first sponsored athlete in 2019. The tie-up surprised many observers used to athletes of her caliber opting for powerhouses like Nike, her former sponsor, and burnished Athleta’s activewear and female-empowerment bona fides.

Last year Felix, who is known for her activism around the needs of women and mothers, founded Saysh with her brother Wes Felix. Their lifestyle and apparel brand focuses on designs that meet the unique needs of female anatomy – something the likes of Under Armour and Puma are also scrambling to develop.

German fashion e-retailer Zalando has taken a majority stake in streetwear-focused news and cultural media site Highsnobiety, whose founder and CEO, David Fischer, will hold on to a minority stake. The companies are not disclosing the terms, according to a Zalando press release.

Highsnobiety will “retain its editorial independence, with creative agency work remaining fully autonomous and management structure unchanged,” per the release. The influential site already offers a curated assortment of merchandise, but this tie-up will enable it “to leverage Zalando’s expertise and resources to fuel its own e-commerce capabilities.”

Meanwhile, Zalando has obtained a lot of street cred, and Highsnobiety will be obligated to help the e-retailer with both content and strategy, per the release.

DTC diamond company Blue Nile in June announced it would re-enter the public markets through a deal with Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corporation II, a special purpose acquisition company. 

The deal implies an enterprise value of approximately $683 million for Blue Nile, the company said in its announcement. The deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, will result in the combined company listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

The companies expect the transaction to produce $450 million in capital before expenses, including $50 million of new preferred capital from Mudrick Capital and an $80 million PIPE from Bain Capital Private Equity, Bow Street and Adama Partners.

Blue Nile, which was founded in 1999, initially went public in 2004 before being acquired by Bain Capital Private Equity and Bow Street for about $500 million in 2016.

In May, Walmart announced that it was bringing Symbotic’s automation technology to all 42 of its regional distribution centers over the next eight years, an expansion of an earlier partnership. 

Not long after, Walmart disclosed that it now owns a stake in Symbotic that amounts to 11.1% of the company’s total common stock and 4.3% of its voting power as of June 7. 

The retailer has said that Symbotic’s system would increase its capacity to receive and ship products to stores, as well as increase its inventory accuracy. At a conference earlier this year, Chief Financial Officer Brett Biggs suggested Symbotic’s technology could help reduce time-consuming, labor-intensive work like unloading trucks.

June 10

Pinterest announced the completion of its acquisition of The Yes on June 10. The social image sharing platform said the acquisition “will help accelerate Pinterest’s vision for it to be the home of taste-driven shopping,” per a press release.

June 2

Pinterest in June announced an agreement to acquire The Yes, an AI-powered shopping platform for fashion, according to a press release. The news from Pinterest builds on the list of social shopping features it has implemented in order to become a shopping destination.

The Yes was founded by CEO Julie Bornstein in 2018. Bornstein was previously the chief operating officer of fashion retailer Stitch Fix, as well as the chief marketing and digital officer for Sephora.

Although The Yes was made for fashion, its brand relationships and shopping expertise could be used for other categories Pinterest focuses on, including home, beauty and food, the companies said.

When the deal closes, The Yes app and website will be shut down to focus on integrating the technology into Pinterest’s platform.

Luxury plus retailer 11 Honoré, which previously attracted investment from Nordstrom, among others, was snapped up by inclusive apparel retailer Dia & Co. for an undisclosed amount. The move brings together two entities dedicated to apparel sales and styling services for underserved plus customers, and adds luxury to Dia’s portfolio.

The 11 Honoré Collection, a private label capsule, will be available on Dia & Co. Otherwise, 11 Honoré, which was founded in 2017, two years after Dia & Co., will continue as its own luxury e-commerce destination until it’s fully integrated into dia.com in coming months. Brands within the 11 Honoré portfolio include Diane Von Furstenberg, Carolina Hererra, Good American and Tanya Taylor.

Brand strategy firm GoGlobal, which last year bought upscale children’s apparel brand Janie & Jack from Gap Inc., is furthering its ambitions in the space with the addition of premium Italian brand Brums Milano, its first acquisition in Europe. Brums Milano was founded in 1951 and designs, markets and distributes children's apparel and accessories under the Brums and MEK banners, according to a GoGlobal press release. The purchase amount was not disclosed.

The children’s apparel label boasts more than 150 owned and franchise stores in Italy and robust e-commerce. It’s also sold at Milan-based department store La Rinascente and at 300 independent third-party retailers, per the release.

While the brand will stay based in the Milan area and initially remain focused on its Italian customer base, some things will change. GoGlobal will invest in its digital capabilities, including AI and predictive analytics, for example. And it will be featured as a portfolio brand on the Janie & Jack platform. The tie-up will allow the company to leverage back office synergies for technology, e-commerce, digital marketing, sourcing, and raw material collaboration for the two companies, according to GoGlobal.

In May, WHP Global announced a deal to buy a controlling stake (70%) in fashion brand Isaac Mizrahi from Xcel Brands. 

The deal was valued at $68 million, including $46.2 million in cash. Under the agreement, Xcel will retain a 30% minority stake in Isaac Mizrahi and will manage its QVC business. 

Founded in 1987 by the designer of the same name, the brand has generated more than $1 billion in sales since launching and has been worn by everyone from Michelle Obama to Rihanna to Kate Moss. Isaac Mizrahi will continue to serve as chief design officer after the deal.

Robert D’Loren, Xcel chairman and CEO, said the deal was the first time the company has monetized one of its brands and leaves the company debt free, with $17 million in cash to help finance strategic initiatives.

For WHP, the deal adds to its stable of acquired fashion brands, which include Anne Klein, Joseph Abboud, Joe’s Jeans and William Rast. The company also owns the Toys R Us brand property, among others.

GoDigital Media Group took on 900 new employees and 42 stores when it acquired outdoor retailer and brand Eastern Mountain Sports, as well as apparel and footwear retailer Bob’s Stores from Frasers Group in May for an undisclosed amount. 

Prior to the acquisition, GoDigital was mainly focused on the media world, its holdings including music publishers and networks, among other businesses. 

“The acquisition of EMS and Bob’s is a major step in our strategy to generate synergy between content, community, and commerce,” GoDigital CEO Jason Peterson said in a press release. “This transaction also presents a great opportunity to apply our prowess in product development, supply chain, and e-commerce across all of our brands.”

The teams of both acquired businesses will stay on at GoDigital

Arklyz, owner of The Athlete’s Foot, announced in late May that the company is acquiring Baltimore-based sneaker and streetwear retailer Shoe City. 

The acquisition will add 40 store locations, including in the DMV region, which encompasses Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Shoe City’s e-commerce presence will “help jumpstart” The Athlete’s Foot’s omnichannel strategy, according to the companies.

David’s Bridal announced in mid-May that it acquired the assets of custom wedding dress company Anomalie. The startup’s co-founder and CEO, Leslie Voorhees Means, joined David’s Bridal to “lead the implementation of new strategic initiatives” as part of the deal. The terms of the acquisition were not released. 

Anomalie will not operate as a stand-alone company. Rather, its assets, team and technology will be integrated into David’s Bridal digital offerings. Additionally, under David’s Bridal, Anomalie will no longer create custom dresses.

David’s Bridal on May 3 said that it acquired the assets of online wedding resource Forever Bride, according to a company announcement. The community-based platform, which launched in 2010, connects brides with a curated list of wedding businesses. 

"Forever Bride is unlike any other platform we have seen in our industry, and we believe this mobile-friendly, content-driven, and community-focused model is exactly where wedding planning is going," Jim Marcum, David’s Bridal's CEO, said in a statement.. "Forever Bride means our brides will have unmatched access to the most premier local vendors while being able to put some fun back into the planning process."

Forever Bride’s CEO and co-founder, Ashley Hawks, will join David’s Bridal and will lead strategic partnerships. Hawks will report to Chief Marketing and IT Officer Kelly Cook.

June 2

G-III in June announced it completed its acquisition of Karl Lagerfeld. The company purchased the remaining stake from a group of investors and the transaction was funded in cash. The deal makes Karl Lagerfeld a wholly owned subsidiary of G-III.

May 2

G-III Apparel Group on May 2 said it will take full ownership of the Karl Lagerfeld brand by acquiring the remaining 81% interest for 200 million euros in cash ($210 million).

In taking full ownership of the label, G-III knows exactly what it’s in for. In 2015 the company entered into a joint venture that gave it the rights to Lagerfeld’s apparel and accessories in the North America market, and the following year it bought a 19% minority stake.

The company’s near-term plan for the brand is, in a word, expansion — in digital, retail, wholesale, geography, categories and licensing. Executives said they expect the acquisition to be moderately accretive this year and more so in future years. The business could reach annual net revenue in sales to end consumers of between $1 billion and $2 billion-plus, the company also said.

Wella Company, which owns beauty brands such as Clairol, OPI and Wella Professionals, on April 29 acquired Black-owned hair care brand Briogeo for an undisclosed sum. Nancy Twine, founder and CEO of Briogeo, created the brand to focus on natural hair care for all hair types and textures.

"Acquiring Briogeo marks Wella Company's first portfolio expansion as an independent entity,” Wella Company CEO Annie-Young Scrivner said in a statement. “Briogeo's high-growth, eco-ethical and natural hair care products complement our existing hair portfolio and sustainable offerings and will fuel our growth momentum in the hair category, which is now the fastest growing segment in beauty."

Briogeo is looking to expand its reach, as Twine said the acquisition will help grow the brand globally and into new delivery channels.

DSW owner Designer Brands acquired the domain and intellectual property of Shoes.com from an undisclosed buyer for an undisclosed amount. 

The website has traded hands at least five times over the past two decades. Walmart controlled the domain for a few years until recently, having combined it with its ShoeBuy business. In 2020, Walmart sold Shoes.com to private equity firm CriticalPoint Capital, which made it part of its running-focused specialty retail group, which included the chain JackRabbit. 

The sale to Designer Brands only included intellectual property, no operating assets. A spokesperson for DSW told Retail Dive, “The high-traffic Shoes.com domain furthers Designer Brands’ long-range strategy to expand its footprint digitally and strategically position and distribute Designer Brands’ Owned Brands as well as shoes from top National Brand partners.”

Visitors to shoes.com are now directed to DSW’s online store.

Helen of Troy, which owns brands including Hydro Flask, Drybar and Hot Tools, on April 25 announced one of its subsidiaries had acquired Curlsmith parent company Recipe Products for $150 million in cash. With the acquisition, Curlsmith became the most profitable brand in Helen of Troy’s portfolio, the company said in a press release.

“We believe Curlsmith is an excellent fit with Helen of Troy, both strategically and financially,” CEO Julien Mininberg said in a statement. “This transaction advances Helen of Troy’s strategy to invest in businesses that can accelerate profitable growth in categories where we can add value and leverage our scalable operating platform.”

Mininberg added that 60% of U.S. consumers have curly or textured hair, and prestige products that serve those needs are growing faster than non-textured hair products. Helen of Troy expects Curlsmith to complement its Drybar, Revlon and Hot Tools brands in particular.

“The business more than doubled in size between calendar years 2020 and 2021 and we expect it to continue to grow at a healthy double-digit rate,” Mininberg said of Curlsmith.

ThirdLove made its first acquisition in April, bringing on “cult favorite intimates brand” Kit Undergarments. Founded by celebrity stylists Jamie Mizrahi and Simone Harouche, Kit Undergarments is meant to help ThirdLove reach a younger demographic — and it also comes at a lower price point than ThirdLove’s standard range.

“We wanted to create a sub-brand that targets a younger demographic,” Heidi Zak, co-founder and CEO of ThirdLove, said in a statement. “Rather than leveraging our team’s time and effort on creating a new brand from scratch, our solution was to find an incredible existing brand we could scale through the backing of ThirdLove.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Kit Undergarments will be sold on ThirdLove’s website as “Kit Undergarments for ThirdLove,” but will not be available in ThirdLove stores at the moment.

Farfetch in April agreed to make a minority common equity investment of up to $200 million in Neiman Marcus, a deal that closed at the end of May.

Farfetch is getting a fair amount of business out of this deal as both Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman have agreed to use its platform services, with the Bergdorf website and app getting overhauled by Farfetch Platform Solutions. Both the namesake department store and its New York-centric sibling will join Farfetch’s e-commerce marketplace as well.

For Neiman Marcus Group, the tie-up indicates relevance in the luxury space, following its bankruptcy two years ago, among other travails, according to GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders. 

“Farfetch’s $200 million investment in Neiman Marcus is a vote of confidence by a new-generation luxury player in a more traditional business,” Saunders said.

Victoria’s Secret on March 25 said it would drop $18 million on a minority stake in California swimwear brand Frankies Bikinis, making progress on two goals.

One is rectifying the mistake it made a few years ago by exiting the swimwear category, a move that hurt sales and has sent the lingerie retailer scrambling back. The other is amplifying its recent switch away from sexualized marketing toward female empowerment.

"Our investment in Frankies Bikinis is a continuation of our efforts to expand partnerships with culturally relevant brands founded by women entrepreneurs," Victoria's Secret CEO Martin Waters said in a statement.

The decade-old Frankies sells directly to customers online as well as through various retail partners, including Victoria’s Secret. The partnership will enable the brand “to grow and extend into new categories and attract new customers in the direct-to-consumer channel," Waters also said.

Centric Brands, which has a license portfolio of more than 100 brands and also owns and operates several others, on March 24 closed on a deal to acquire the hosiery division of Daytona Apparel Group.

Centric is assuming license agreements including Stanley, Free Country, Real Tree and Umbro, according to an April 27 press release. A number of employees from Daytona’s hosiery team will join Centric and report to Abe Dweck, Centric’s executive vice president of accessories.

The business will be merged into Centric’s accessories division, led by Jarrod Kahn, group president of accessories, the company also said. Brands in that division at Centric include Coach, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, All Saints, Frye, Timberland, Hunter and Jessica Simpson.

L’Occitane in late March announced it acquired a majority stake in Australian skincare brand Grown Alchemist, which emphasizes botanical skincare formulas and anti-aging technology. Grown Alchemist was founded in 2008 by Jeremy and Keston Muijs, and its product line also includes nutricosmetics and body and haircare products, according to a company press release.

The acquisition will help L’Occitane in its quest to appeal to more Gen Z and millennial customers and become “a truly global, multi-brand group.” L’Occitane last year acquired Sol de Janeiro, a prestige body care brand. 

Grown Alchemist’s founders will retain a share in the company and L’Occitane Group “will support and share its expertise with Grown Alchemist while offering the co-founders the autonomy to lead and drive the business.” Grown Alchemist has plans to expand its omnichannel presence, having already opened one flagship store in Melbourne in 2020.

“With a unique and inspiring brand story and international fan base, Grown Alchemist is poised for international scalability and rapid growth,” Vice Chairman and CEO of the L’Occitane Group, André Hoffmann, said in a statement.

With the United States already representing its largest market, Vestiaire Collective is expanding here  further with its acquisition of rival Tradesy for an undisclosed amount.

Both sites were founded in 2009 by women. Vestiaire founder Fanny Moizant will stay on as the company's president and Maximilian Bittner will stay  as chief executive, while Tradesy founder and CEO Tracy DiNunzio will become CEO of the combined U.S. operations.

In a statement, Bittner said the deal is a confirmation of "Vestiaire Collective's ambition to be a truly global player, promoting circularity in Europe, the U.S. and Asia-Pacific." Moizant said the companies' leadership is "particularly enthusiastic about the scale we are reaching together and the associated benefits in the highly attractive U.S. market."

The combined company will have 23 million members, a catalog of 5 million items and gross merchandise value exceeding $1 billion, according to a press release.

After initial reports of an investment, Authentic Brands Group struck a deal with David Beckham to co-own and co-manage the soccer icon's brand. As part of the agreement, Beckham has also taken an undisclosed stake in the brand specialist. Authentic Brand's new European headquarters in London will house the David Beckham brand team, the company said. 

The deal also makes Authentic Brands the largest shareholder in Studio 99, a production studio founded by Beckham. 

Authentic Brands noted in a press release about the deal that Beckham's digital presence is "considered one of the most influential in the world," with a following of 138 million, which is nearly a third of Authentic Brands’ total following across its entire portfolio post-deal.  

Bloomberg previously reported that Authentic Brands agreed to pay $269 million for a 55% stake in Beckham's brand management company DB Ventures.

Kimberly-Clark — which makes Kleenex, Kotex and Huggies — acquired a majority stake in period underwear brand Thinx.

The investment will help further the brand’s direct-to-consumer channels and drive growth with Kimberly-Clark’s retail partners, said Russ Torres, group president of Kimberly-Clark’s North American consumer business.

Kimberly-Clark made an initial minority investment in Thinx in 2019.

Sports merchandise retailer Fanatics in February announced it acquired lifestyle brand Mitchell & Ness from Juggernaut Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount. Jay-Z, Maverick Carter, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, the D'Amelio family and others also participated in the acquisition. 

The strategic investment group, made up of "some of the most recognized names in sports, entertainment and culture," will own 25% of the company, according to details emailed to Retail Dive.

Mitchell & Ness will operate as a separate entity under the Fanatics Commerce division, according to the announcement. Fanatics plans to grow the company's distribution network by adding Mitchell & Ness products to new retailers.

Luxury marketplace Farfetch announced it would acquire beauty retailer Violet Grey prior to its formal launch into the category in 2022.

Cassandra Grey, founder of Violet Grey, will become a beauty adviser for Farfetch and co-founder of NGG Beauty, where she will incubate brands. She will also chair Violet Grey and provide strategic and creative direction. Farfetch Vice President of Operations Niten Kapadia will become Violet Grey’s managing director. 

Violet Grey is known for its “Violet code” where it tests beauty products with its community of makeup artists, estheticians, dermatologists, hairstylists and influencers to curate offerings.

After losing sales and mindshare in an environment that had grown unfavorable to its sexualized marketing, Victoria’s Secret has worked hard to revamp its image and overhaul its merchandise. Now it’s working on reigniting its global sales. On Jan. 25, the brand announced it will form a joint venture with a longtime supplier, Regina Miracle. Subject to regulatory approval, the Hong Kong-based lingerie maker will pay $45 million for a 49% stake and run the brand’s Chinese stores and website. 

The deal makes sense, according to Jane Hali & Associates analysts. "This seems to be a wise solution to distribution in China," she said by email. "Companies are successful when they are consumer-centric and know their customers' wants and needs. [Victoria's Secret] was in China but it was unsuccessful under their management.”

Women’s footwear brand Aerosoles inked a deal to sell itself to American Exchange Group, which owns brands along with doing design, manufacturing and wholesale work for outside accessories brands. American Exchange signalled it would keep Aerosoles as a separate operating division. 

Formed in 1987, out of a division of Kenneth Cole, Aerosoles was profitable for most of its life before running into mall retrenchment and rising competition. After putting itself on the market, the brand filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and moved immediately to close most of its physical stores. Today the brand sells through its digital and wholesale channels, the latter of which includes partnerships with Nordstrom, Macy’s, Zappos and other retailers.

Dec. 30, 2022

Direct-to-consumer company Digital Brands Group announced on Dec. 30 that it finalized its deal to acquire Sundry. Since its initial deal was announced in January, the company modified the original agreement to be a cash price of $5 million with $7 million in cash or equity at Sundry’s option, and another $20 million in equity. Digital brands had closed on a $10 million public offering and taken on another $2.5 million in debt to help complete the acquisition just a few weeks prior. 

Jan. 18, 2022

As it looks to scale its customer base and bolt more brands to its platform, Digital Brands picked up the women’s apparel brand Sundry for $34 million in cash and $7.5 million in stock. Digital Brands’ marketing chief, Laura Dowling, said Sundry’s large direct-to-consumer reach would significantly accelerate growth in its customer base, allowing it to cross-sell its other brands to Sundry customers.

Founded in 2011 by Matthieu Leblan as a coastal brand with French inspiration, Sundry is profitable and made $18.2 million in revenue for the first nine months of 2021, up 37.9% from the year-ago period.

Streetwear’s grip on upscale fashion seems to only grow tighter. LVMH Luxury Ventures – the investment arm that French luxury conglomerate LVMH established a few years ago to “support desirable, high potential brands, with clear identities and built to address clients’ desires today and into the future” – has taken a minority stake in New York City’s Aimé Leon Dore.

A spokesperson for the brand declined to disclose the amount. But LVMH Luxury Ventures tends to make equity investments of between 2 million euros ($2.3 million at press time) and 15 million euros in companies with revenue between 3 million euros and 30 million euros, seeking stakes of 5% to 25%.

"LVMH's vast network of global leaders across the industry and its rich history in growing exceptional storied brands offers a truly unique partnership opportunity to fuel the next chapter of growth for Aimé Leon Dore," said fashion designer Teddy Santis, who founded the brand in 2014.

Mattress Firm in early January filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering. Mattress Firm will list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "MFRM."

The filing came about four months after the retailer confidentially filed papers to go public. The draft document, filed in September 2021, came just three years after Mattress Firm filed for bankruptcy, which resulted in the closing of around 700 stores. Before that, the retailer was acquired for $3.8 billion in 2016 by private equity firm Steinhoff International Holdings, which today maintains about 50% ownership over the company.

Mattress Firm appears to be benefiting from the increased demand the broader home category has experienced since the pandemic began. In the first nine months of 2021, the retailer reported its net revenue increased 41% in local currency, while its comps increased 46.2% from the year-ago period.

In 2017, Office Depot bought the business-to-business IT services company CompuCom for about $1 billion as it looked to diversify beyond traditional office supply services. Roughly four years later, the company (under a new name, ODP Corp.) agreed to sell CompuCom to a private equity firm in a deal valued at $305 million. 

The deal comes after CompuCom’s struggles in the pandemic, with sales down in the work-from-home era. It also comes as ODP plans a major restructuring, with its retail business — consisting of Office Depot and OfficeMax — set to spin off from its B2B services segment. ODP’s chief financial officer framed the CompuCom sale as an “important step in continuing to align our business model and resources towards our core strategy.”

The Container Store in late December closed on a deal to acquire home storage and closet organization company Closet Works for $21.5 million.

The acquisition enhances The Container Store’s custom closet offering, and it says it plans to offer more customization options around the home, like home offices, pantries, laundry rooms, garages and closets. 

To help with the integration, Closet Works’ previous co-owner and president Tom Happ joined The Container Store as Closet Works president.

Outdoor griddle maker Blackstone is the latest brand to jump into the stock market via a SPAC, agreeing to a takeover by blank-check company Ackrell SPAC Partners I Co., according to a Dec. 23 press release.  As is typical for a SPAC-based IPO, Blackstone’s financial disclosures at press time were minimal, compared to the level required by the Securities and Exchange Commission in the leadup to a more traditional initial public offering. In its own filing, Ackrell limits its discussion of Blackstone’s lucrativeness to its ”proven track record of profitable growth.” 

Blackstone, which says it enjoys 80% share in a corner of the outdoor cooking market it says it created, estimates it will have notched over $450 million in revenue this year, and expects that to top $600 million next year. The company also said it achieved a 72% net revenue compound annual growth rate from 2016 through 2020.

Feb. 17

Crocs announced in mid-February 2022 that it closed its transaction with Heydude. In a press release, the company said it expected the casual footwear brand to add $620 million to $670 million in revenue over the year following the completion of the deal.

Dec. 23

Crocs took on the casual footwear brand Heydude for $2.5 billion, a price that includes about $2 billion cash as well as $450 million in Crocs shares issued to Heydude founder and CEO Alessandro Rosano.

Once the deal closes, Rosano is set to lead product development at Heydude as strategic adviser and creative director. Rick Blackshaw, a longtime footwear executive who most recently served as CEO of CCM Hockey, is set to become brand president of Heydude. 

Crocs said that the acquisition would greatly expand its total addressable market, to more than $160 billion, by opening the casual shoe category up. Heydude also adds more than half a billion dollars in revenue as well as profits to Crocs’ earnings in the near term. Heydude, meanwhile, gets access to Crocs’ marketing and distribution infrastructure as well as its wholesale relationships.

Brazilian footwear company Alpargatas announced that it was acquiring a 49.9% stake in DTC company Rothy’s. The deal will result in a post-investment valuation of $1 billion for Rothy’s. 

Alpargatas will invest $200 million in primary capital, followed by an acquisition of about $275 million of Rothy’s shares from current shareholders. The agreement allows Alpargatas the option to obtain additional shares between the first and fourth anniversary of the transaction. 

“This partnership with Alpargatas marks the beginning of our next chapter of growth, and reaffirms the strength of our business model and momentum in the marketplace,” Rothy’s co-founder Stephen Hawthornthwaite said in a statement. “With Alpargatas’ financial support, scale and expertise, we look forward to rapidly expanding in global markets, building our physical retail presence, advancing product development and accelerating our goal to reach circular production by 2023.”

Investment firm Blackstone announced that funds managed by Blackstone Growth have agreed to acquire a majority stake in SPF-focused beauty brand Supergoop. 

Supergoop founder Holly Thaggard launched the brand in 2005 with the goal of eliminating skin cancer by creating sunscreen products consumers wanted to wear. Thaggard will continue to hold a “significant” stake in the company, along with Supergoop CEO Amanda Baldwin and the current senior management team, according to Blackstone’s announcement.

The investment, Supergoop said, will help it launch new products and expand internationally.

Food52 in December announced it would acquire Portland, Oregon-based lighting and lifestyle goods company Schoolhouse for about $48 million in cash and stock. The deal has since closed, according to the company.

The acquisition builds on Food52’s commerce ambitions, particularly in the home space. After seeing triple-digit growth of home products in its online store, the website in 2020 launched its Home52 vertical. And in May this year, Food52 announced it acquired housewares brand Dansk and is currently working to revitalize the brand.

The company in 2018 launched its private label, Five Two, which has inked deals to be sold in retailers like Nordstrom and The Container Store.

In its first acquisition to date, Harry’s Labs in December announced it was acquiring Lume, a DTC brand focused on controlling “all-over” body odor, for an undisclosed amount. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year, subject to customary closing conditions.

The deal follows a $155 million funding round in March, which Harry’s at the time said would primarily be used to add new brands to its portfolio.

Harry’s Labs has developed and launched several brands, including razor brands Harry’s and Flamingo, pet brand Cat Person and haircare brand Headquarters.

In what Nike called the next step in its “digital transformation,” the retail giant in December acquired virtual sneaker company Rtfkt. Rtfkt creates virtual products and experiences using technologies like augmented reality, blockchain authentication, NFTs and game engines. The company calls its products “next generation collectibles” and Nike plans to use Rtfkt’s expertise to extend its own footprint and capabilities, while also growing the Rtfkt business.

The acquisition is one of several Nike has made in recent years to help accelerate its digital strategy, including predictive analytics firm Celect and data integration platform Datalogue. The Rtfkt purchase “accelerates Nike’s digital transformation and allows us to serve athletes and creators at the intersection of sport, creativity, gaming and culture,” CEO John Donahoe said in a statement.

Luxury platform Farfetch announced that it acquired resale platform Luxclusif for an undisclosed sum. Luxclusif is a B2B service provider that allows for the acquisition, authentication and sale of secondhand goods to and from auctions, retailers, stores and e-commerce platforms. 

The two companies have worked together for a number of years, specifically on Farfetch’s Second Life, where Luxclusif provided the means for the luxury marketplace to authenticate, price and sell pre-owned handbags in Europe. Luxclusif will go on to operate Farfetch’s Second Life platform and will integrate new and existing partners into the program.

Luxclusif employees will join Farfetch as part of the deal.

June 16, 2022

About six months after announcing plans to go public via a SPAC merger, Grove Collaborative and Virgin Group Acquisition Corp. II closed their transaction. Shares of Grove Collaborative Holdings began trading June 17. 

“Our path to profitability is clear and we will continue to advance our mission to transform consumer products into a positive force for human and environmental health,” Grove CEO Stuart Landesberg said in a statement. “We expect the inevitable transition away from single use plastic will only accelerate as consumers increasingly demand more sustainable options, and Grove is leading the charge.”

Dec. 8, 2021

Grove Collaborative in December announced it would go public through a merger with special purpose acquisition company Virgin Group Acquisition Corp. II. The company will list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “GROV.”

When the deal was announced, Grove said the transaction was expected to close in late Q1 or early Q2. According to a joint press release from the companies, the merger values Grove at $1.5 billion. The proceeds from the transaction could be up to $435 million, providing the company with additional cash to fuel its expansion.

L’Oreal signed an agreement to acquire California-based skincare company Youth to the People for an undisclosed amount. 

Youth to the People is available in the U.S., Canada, Australia and select countries in Europe. The brand is a mix of direct-to-consumer e-commerce and “selective distribution,” according to an announcement about the deal.

Youth to the People was founded in 2015 and is known for its vegan formulas. The brand is projected to reach over $50 million in sales this year.

“We have been inspired by the passion and vision of the brand’s two founders, Joe Cloyes and Greg Gonzalez, in bringing the best of the health-conscious, California lifestyle to high performance beauty,” Stéphane Rinderknech, CEO of L’Oreal USA, said in a statement. “We believe in the potential of this special brand, and we look forward to working with the Youth to the People team to help them realize this potential.”

In the first acquisition over its 43-year history, Shoe Carnival bought southeastern footwear retailer Shoe Station for $67 million with cash on hand. The acquisition adds more than 20 stores to Shoe Carnival’s portfolio and roughly $100 million to its net sales. With the deal, Shoe Station CEO Brent Barkin, son of the company’s founder, will become Shoe Carnival’s senior vice president of new business development and integration, and will continue to lead the Shoe Station brand.

Shoe Carnival CEO Mark Worden said the acquisition accelerates the company’s efforts to become a multi-billion dollar footwear retailer, in terms of sales.

Less than a year after P&G called off its deal to acquire Billie following action from the Federal Trade Commission, the DTC brand was snapped up by Schick maker Edgewell for $310 million.

The deal closed after being cleared under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, the company said. Billie, which was founded in 2017, will continue to be led by its co-founders, Georgina Gooley and Jason Bravman.

Edgewell itself — which also has brands Wilkinson Sword and Skintimate in its portfolio — in 2019 announced a deal to acquire another DTC razor brand, Harry’s. The deal, however, was called off after the FTC moved to block the acquisition on antitrust grounds.

Dec. 30

On Dec. 30, Helen of Troy announced it completed the acquisition of Osprey. “The brand is an excellent strategic fit,” Helen of Troy CEO Julien Mininberg said in a statement, adding that it “will be a significant complementary addition to our Housewares indoor and outdoor portfolio alongside Hydro Flask and OXO. With approximately half of its sales outside of the United States, Osprey further accelerates our international growth strategy. We see excellent opportunities to enhance and expand Osprey’s already robust new product pipeline, expand distribution with new retail customers, and further expand the brand’s footprint both in the U.S. and internationally.”

Nov. 29

Helen of Troy, owner of water bottle company Hydro Flask, in late November announced its plans to acquire outdoors backpack brand Osprey for $414 million in cash. The company sees Osprey complementing its Hydro Flask and OXO brands, with opportunities to cross-sell the businesses at wholesale partners. Already, some of Osprey’s biggest brand partners — including Nordstrom, REI, L.L. Bean, Dick’s, Moosejaw and Amazon — sell Hydro Flask or other Helen of Troy brands.

Helen of Troy plans to continue expanding Osprey, including improving its use of Amazon and growing its DTC channels, which already make up a “significant” portion of sales. Product expansions are also on the horizon and could include items in camping, outdoor apparel and footwear.

Osprey is expected to bring in 2021 net sales of between $155 million to $160 million. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of the year, subject to customary closing conditions.

EBay purchased the sneaker authentication arm of Sneaker Con Digital for an undisclosed sum. The deal, which closed on Nov. 24, is an extension of a partnership between the two companies. Sneaker Con was tapped in October 2020 to verify sneakers that sold for more than $100 in the U.S. as part of eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee program. 

“The response to our authentication offering has been overwhelming, and this acquisition allows us to continue to transform eBay and bring a higher level of trust and confidence to every transaction,” Jordan Sweetnam, senior vice president and general manager of eBay North America, said in a statement. 

Sneaker Con will continue to retain ownership of its events business.

Jan. 5

Following its private investment by financial firms, Authentic Brands officially requested that the SEC withdraw its IPO registration statement in the first week of 2022 after saying in November that it was shelving its plans to go public for now.

Nov. 22

On its own and with partners, Authentic Brands has acquired household names such as Forever 21, Barneys New York and Brooks Brothers. As it eyed more growth and new categories, the company filed papers for an initial public offering earlier this year in a hot market.

But then the company about-faced. In November, Authentic Brands announced that two investment firms, CVC Capital Partners and HPS Investment Partners, agreed to buy “significant” stakes from unnamed current investors in the company. The deal values Authentic Brands at $12.7 billion and leaves BlackRock as its largest shareholder.

With the new investors, Authentic Brands put its IPO plans on hold for now. CEO Jamie Salter — who signed on for another five years — told CNBC that the company was now targeting an IPO in 2023 or 2024.

Casper has inked a deal to be taken private again just shy of two years after entering the public markets. The DTC brand, which helped disrupt the way consumers buy mattresses, has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by private equity firm Durational Capital Management.

The deal will provide shareholders with $6.90 for every share outstanding, about a 94% premium of Casper’s Nov. 12 closing share price of $3.55. The acquisition, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022, is not subject to financing conditions. Durational said it has committed debt financing led by KKR Credit and Callodine Commercial Finance.

Beauty retailer L’Occitane on Nov. 15 announced it had acquired a majority stake in Sol de Janeiro, a global prestige body care brand. Founded in 2015, Sol de Janeiro focuses on results-driven body care with ingredients sourced from Brazil. It offers body care, fragrance and hair care products through both DTC channels and wholesale.

In the press release on the acquisition, L’Occitane described it as “one of the fastest-growing premium skincare brands in North America” and said the acquisition would help build its portfolio of premium beauty brands. L’Occitane, which will acquire an 83% indirect interest in the company, plans to expand the brand into new markets.

“Sol de Janeiro is a strategic fit for the Group in terms of brand recognition and identity, product quality, management capability, as well as growth, profitability and cash generation prospects,” L’Occitane said in the release. “Sol de Janeiro’s digital presence and established body care business is complementary to the Group’s balanced geographical strategy to build a portfolio of strong brands in all major geographical regions.”

July 28, 2022

Just over eight months after announcing plans to go public through a SPAC deal, Milk Makeup, Obagi Skincare and Waldencast Acquisition Corp. completed their transaction. The combined company in late July began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “WALD.”

“Our mission at Milk Makeup is to create unique, high performance, clean and cruelty-free products that help our global community to Live their Look,” Milk Makeup CEO Tim Coolican said in a statement. “We found in Waldencast a partner who shares our mission and our values of self-expression and inclusion. We are very excited to join the public markets, which we believe will allow us to accelerate our reach and impact and realize our ambition of becoming the number one beauty brand for the next generation.

Nov. 15, 2021

Beauty brands Milk Makeup and Obagi entered into an agreement to merge with special purpose acquisition company Waldencast Acquisition Corp., in a deal valued at $1.2 billion.

Waldencast was founded by two former L’Oréal executives: Michel Brousset, Waldencast’s CEO and former group president of L’Oréal North America Consumer Products, and Hind Sebti, Waldencast’s chief operating officer and former general manager for L’Oréal brands like Maybelline, Essie UK, Redken and Pureology.

SPACs have risen in popularity over the last couple of years. So far in 2021, 555 SPACs have filed IPOs, up from 248 last year and 59 in 2019, according to SPAC Insider. But the Securities and Exchange Commission has recently raised concerns over the exit method, pushing for stricter disclosure rules for SPACs.

The acquisitions of Milk Makeup and Obagi will be funded by $345 million from Waldencast’s IPO; $333 million from forward purchase agreements, of which $160 million comes from the sponsor; $105 million from a private investment in public equity, or PIPE, priced at $10 a share; and $475 million in rollover equity from Obagi and Milk Makeup

Off-price, luxury e-commerce company Rue Gilt Group filed to go public with a target of raising $100 million. It expects to be listed on the Nasdaq with a ticker symbol of RGG.

The company’s primary offerings include RueLaLa, Gilt and Shop Premium Outlets. Simon Property Group invested in the company in 2019 and is one of the company’s largest stockholders. CEO David Simon serves on the company’s board of directors.

Rue Gilt Group currently has 1 million active buyers, and has experienced operating losses each year since its inception.

American Eagle in November announced it would acquire Quiet Logistics for $350 million in cash as it works to transform its supply chain. The deal closed Dec. 29.

Quiet Logistics will continue to operate as an independent business, and will offer fulfillment services for other brands. The retailer in Q2 of 2021 acquired e-commerce logistics provider AirTerra, which also still offers services to other brands, providing American Eagle with an additional revenue stream.

“I am thrilled to officially welcome Quiet Logistics into the AEO Inc. portfolio, cementing a collaborative partnership that has meaningfully contributed to our financial results over the past 18 months,” American Eagle Outfitters CEO Jay Schottenstein said in a statement. “AEO’s unique ability to reduce delivery costs amid rising inflation is a direct reflection of the efficiencies provided by their innovative fulfillment model.”

Sometimes the best buyer for your brands sounds a lot like the entity that owned them all along. Sequential Brands Group, which filed for bankruptcy in August, has an agreement to sell its And1, Avia, Gaiam and SPRI activewear brands to Galaxy Universal for about $330 million.

Galaxy is a portfolio of brands owned by private equity firm Gainline Capital Partners, led by brand management expert Eddie Esses. Galaxy Brand Holdings, which Sequential itself acquired seven years ago, was also a portfolio of brands, and at that time was also led by Esses. The current Galaxy, which also has licensing deals with brands, including Justice and London Fog, earlier this year also acquired Apex Global Brands, which includes Hi-Tec, Magnum and Tony Hawk.

Since filing Chapter 11, Sequential has been selling off its brands, including Ellen Tracy and Caribbean Joe for $20 million in August. Since then, among other sales, Jessica Simpson won back her namesake brand from Sequential for $65 million following the cancellation of an auction, according to court documents.

Nov. 18

Spanx announced in November that Blackstone’s investment in the company had closed. Spanx also said it had brought in a slew of new investors, including Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, as well as female-founded investment funds G9 Ventures and Able Partners. The size and value of the new investors’ stakes were not disclosed.

Oct. 20

Founded in 2000 by Sara Blakely, womenswear brand Spanx sold a majority stake in the company to investment firm Blackstone. The deal valued the company at a total of $1.2 billion and left the management team in charge of operations. On closing, Blakely is set to shift into the role of executive chairwoman while keeping a significant stake in the company. Spanx also said that it will have an all-female board under Blackstone.

The deal would additionally “enable Spanx to accelerate its already rapid digital transformation and strong online presence in the e-commerce channel, expand its global footprint” and fuel new product innovations, Spanx said.

A.K.A. Brands acquired DTC menswear company Mnml for $48.6 million in cash and equity. The deal closed on Oct. 14. Last year, Mnml made around $20 million in net revenue and the company has generated a double-digit EBITDA margin this year to date. 

“The acquisition reinforces our presence in the vibrant streetwear market, and we are confident that Mnml has tremendous opportunities for meaningful growth in the U.S. and internationally,” Jill Ramsey, chief executive officer of A.K.A. Brands, said in a statement.

Mnml clothing will be sold via its website and through Culture Kings in the U.S. and Australia. 

Poshmark’s first acquisition is of Suede One, a virtual sneaker authentication platform. The purchase is part of Poshmark’s effort to catalyze growth in popular secondhand goods categories and strengthen the user experience for both buyers and sellers. 

Suede One, which was founded in 2020, has an inventory-less approach to authentication. Product images are analyzed, and algorithms focus on “consistencies to identify whether an item is real or counterfeit,” according to the company. 

As part of the deal, the Suede One staff will become part of Poshmark’s team.

Best Buy announced that it entered into an agreement to acquire care-at-home tech platform Current Health. The company, which is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, provides patient monitoring, telehealth and patient engagement services. It also offers a wearable device to give healthcare organizations real-time insights into a patient’s condition.

The cost of the deal was not disclosed, but the acquisition will be financed with cash, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The deal is expected to close by the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022.

Nov. 11

The price of Lulu’s Fashion’s first publicly traded shares fell more than 18% upon their debut, though Women’s Wear Daily reports that CEO David McCreight remains unfazed. The previous day, the fast-fashion e-retailer announced it was offering 5.75 million shares of its common stock at $16 per share, the low end of its goal, for gross proceeds of $92 million.

Oct. 12

Online fast-fashion retailer Lulu’s, like other e-commerce pure plays, has struggled to maintain consistent profits. The company, which said it plans to list on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker “LVLU,” was expected to be in the black in its most recent quarter, with net income of $3.3 million, up from $377,000 in the year-ago period, per its S-1 filing. But the e-retailer ended its last two fiscal years in the red, with net losses of $469,000 in 2019 and $19.3 million in 2020.

Several analysts this year have warned about the decline of fast fashion, in light of consumers’ rising concerns about sustainability and appreciation for resale. But Lulu’s says instead that it’s brick-and-mortar apparel retail with dimming prospects, due to “a prolonged and unattractive merchandising and buying cycle,” the wholesale markup and growing online sales, especially from younger shoppers. Lulu’s launched in 1996 as a brick-and-mortar boutique, but says it shifted to online only to reach its target market.

Nov. 18

Signet announced the finalization of its Diamonds Direct takeover, as planned. The acquisition is “immediately accretive... accelerates our growth strategy and gives our customers even more choice across our differentiated banners,” Signet CEO Virginia Drosos said in a statement. The $490 million cash purchase price reflects “approximately a 1.1x multiple on annualized revenue and approximately a 7.1x multiple on annualized EBITDA,” per a company press release. Diamonds Direct operates 22 locations, and its “mature stores [have] a median annualized revenue of approximately $18.5 million over the last twelve months,” the company said.

Oct. 12

Signet has a deal to buy off-mall rival Diamonds Direct for $490 million in cash. If it passes muster with regulators, the transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2022, pending customary conditions, the company said. Diamonds Direct’s leadership team is sticking around, with president Itay Berger reporting directly to Signet CEO Virginia Drosos.

Signet, whose banners include Jared, Kay and Zales, largely based in malls,  raised expectations for the year in September after second quarter comps nearly doubled. It raised them again when it announced its purchase of Diamonds Direct, saying its forward momentum continues. The takeover will help the company expand its market share, though it also faces rising competition from department stores and online pure plays, Wells Fargo analysts said following the acquisition announcement. 

Nov. 3

Arhaus on Nov. 3 announced the pricing of its IPO of 12.9 million shares of stock at $13 per share. Underwriters have a 30-day option to purchase an additional 1.9 million shares at the initial public offering price.

Oct. 4

Home furnishing retailer Arhaus in October filed for an initial public offering, with plans to list itself on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “ARHS.” The number of shares or price range have not yet been determined. The proposed offering amount is up to $100 million, according to a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The retailer, which was founded in 1986, operates 75 showrooms across 27 states and sees potential to expand to over 165 locations in new and existing markets, according to the S-1 filing.

In its most recent fiscal year, Arhaus’ net revenue was $507 million, up slightly from 2019 when it was $494.5 million. The company’s e-commerce business experienced 64% growth last year and represented about 18% of total net revenues. Arhaus’ net income increased 7.2% year over year to $17.8 million.

Oct. 27

Solo Brands priced its IPO at $17 per share with an offering of 12.9 million shares, according to a press release. The IPO’s underwriters have the option to buy an additional 1.9 million shares at that price. All told, the offering could raise the direct-to-consumer company more than $250 million. Solo is set to trade under the ticker symbol “DTC” beginning Oct. 28. The company expects the offering to close Nov. 1.

Oct. 4

Led by Solo Stove, its largest brand, Solo Brands positions itself as a data-savvy collection of outdoor lifestyle brands. Founded in 2011 by brothers Jeff and Spencer Jan, Solo Stove has grown at a compounded annual growth rate of 132% over the past five years since launching its fire pit product.

The company, now backed by private equity firm Summit Partners, made three acquisitions this year: apparel maker Chubbies, and equipment brands Oru Kayak and Isle Paddle Boards. In October, it filed for an initial public offering, saying it would use the proceeds to reduce its debt and potentially make more acquisitions.

Nov. 2

Allbirds upped the number of shares it was offering and the price of its shares Nov. 2, the day before it was set to debut on the Nasdaq. Previously, Allbirds and its shareholders were planning to offer 19.2 million, but an additional 1 million shares from Allbirds increased that number to 20.2 million. On Nov. 3, Allbirds offered 16.3 million shares and its shareholders offered 3.8 million at $15 per share, raising $303 million total. The IPO values Allbirds at over $2 billion.

Oct. 25

Allbirds on Monday announced it would be offering about 19.2 million shares in its IPO, including 15.4 million shares itself and 3.8 million shares from stockholders, according to a filing with the SEC. All are expected to sell for between $12 and $14 per share, which would allow Allbirds to raise $269 million at the high-end of that range (though Allbirds would not get any of the proceeds from the shares sold by its stockholders). The deal values the DTC brand at roughly $2 billion.

Aug. 31

After months of rumors, Allbirds filed for an IPO in late August without specifying the number of shares or the potential price range. The DTC darling plans to list its stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol, “BIRD.” The retailer’s growth plan involves deepening its footwear and apparel assortment to include more casual, performance and outdoor offerings, and expanding its store fleet to potentially “hundreds” of stores, among other things.

The company is aiming to be “the first sustainable public equity offering,” and highlighted its commitment to sustainability throughout the release. Like some of its peers that have filed to go public, Allbirds also revealed a string of losses. The brand made $219 million in revenue in 2020, up from $194 million the year prior, but net loss grew during the same timeframe, from $14.5 million in 2019 to $25.9 million in 2020. In the first six months of 2021, the company reported a net loss of $21 million.

Sept. 23

Brilliant Earth changed the initial public offering plans it had announced Sept. 14, which were to offer 16.7 million shares priced between $14 to $16. On IPO day on Sept. 23, the sustainable online jeweler offered half that many shares, at a more conservative $12, trading under the stock ticker “BRLT.” “Obviously we can’t control market conditions,” CEO and co-founder Beth Gerstein said by phone before the opening bell. “We’re holding on to our shares because we think there’s so much tremendous long-term value.” It was a good first day; shares closed at just over $17. The company sells largely online but also runs 14 showrooms in major U.S. cities, where it welcomes customers by appointment. Last year, the company’s net sales reached $251.8 million and it swung into the black, with $21.6 million in net income from a $7.8 million loss in 2019. In the first half of this year, net sales rose 77.7% year over year to $163 million, with net income at $10.9 million, up from $0.2 million in the same period last year.

Aug. 30

Since its founding in 2005, DTC jeweler Brilliant Earth has been capitalizing on several shifts in the market, including mounting demand for sustainably sourced gems and precious metals, and increasing comfort with shopping for even luxury items online. Add to that the fact that millennial and Gen Z customers are key demographics for the bridal industry, which provides a large portion of the jewelry market. 

Still run by co-founders Beth Gerstein and Eric Grossberg, Brilliant Earth also operates 14 showrooms in major U.S. cities, according to its website. Last year, the company’s net sales reached $251.8 million and it swung into the black, with $21.6 million in net income from a $7.8 million loss in 2019, per the SEC filing. In the first half of this year, net sales rose 77.7% year over year to $163 million, with net income at $10.9 million, up from $0.2 million in the same period last year. Based in San Francisco and Denver, the company has served more 370,000 customers in the U.S. and more than 50 countries, per the release.

The company aims to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “BRLT,” though the number of shares and their price range had not been determined at the time of filing.

Sept. 30

Olaplex started trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on Sept. 30, with its 73.7 million shares listed at $21, raising some $1.5 billion. Olaplex did not receive any of the proceeds from the sale. By Oct. 7, a week later, shares had reached $26 each, putting its overall total value at over $16 billion.

Aug. 27

Founded in 2014, haircare brand Olaplex has more than 100 patents on shampoos, bonding oils, hair treatments and other products. The brand’s largest market is professional hairstylists, while the DTC channel accounts for 27% of sales, and retail — with Sephora being its principal account — makes up the remaining 18%. 

Olaplex was acquired in early 2020 by private equity firm Advent International, which plans to retain majority voting power after the company’s initial public offering. Sales have grown quickly, and so has debt which totals $766.8 million. Much of that comes from a $470 million dividend, financed with loans and paid to an entity controlled by Advent Funds and other investors.

Gap Inc. announced that it acquired e-commerce startup Drapr, a company that uses 3D try-on technology to help shoppers find the best clothing size and fit. The tech also cuts back on returns. 

“Fit is the number one point of friction for customers and, through their advanced 3D technology, Drapr has shown it can help shoppers efficiently find the size and fit they need,” Sally Gilligan, chief growth transformation officer at Gap Inc., said in a statement. ″We plan to leverage Drapr to help Gap Inc. improve the fit experience for our customers and accelerate our ongoing digital transformation.” 

Gap Inc.’s Strategic Growth Office, a division that looks for investments that can catalyze growth across its subsidiaries, brokered the deal with Drapr. 

Sept. 22

A.K.A. Brands lowered its price target to $11 just ahead of its initial public offering Sept. 22. But the fast-fashion retailer missed that when its stock began trading mid-morning, MarketWatch reported. At its debut price of $9.50, the company is valued at $1.2 billion, according to that report. The tepid reaction to the stock (at press time the price was hovering around $10) may reflect the weaknesses that are emerging in the fast fashion industry. The segment faces steep declines in coming years, according to UBS analysts. The concept has fallen out of favor among some younger consumers, prompting rivals, including resale site ThredUp and legacy brand Levi’s, to position themselves against fast fashion, with the latter trumpeting itself as the “antithesis of fast fashion.”

Aug. 23

A.K.A. Brands on Aug. 23 filed a Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with plans to begin trading shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the stock ticker “AKA.” Neither the number of shares to be offered nor their price range had been determined at the time of filing. 

The company launched in 2018 and runs several DTC brands including Princess Polly, Culture Kings, Petal & Pup and Rebdolls, according to a company press release. A.K.A. sees growth opportunity in the declines of department stores and specialty retailers, per its filing.

The company’s portfolio enjoys “strong followings from Millennial and Gen Z customers,” according to the filing. Each brand aims for a distinct audience, within a platform that “leverages a flexible, asset-light operating model to help each brand accelerate its growth, scale in new markets and enhance their profitability,” the company said in its release. A.K.A.’s 2020 net sales more than doubled year over year, as net income skyrocketed to $14.8 million, from $1.4 million in 2019, per the SEC filing.

Sept. 16

Running brand On set its final IPO price at $24 per share, according to a company press release, solidly above the high end of its initial range, which capped at $20. The company raised over $600 million for itself, and $746 million overall. On its first day of trading, shares started even higher, at $35.40, reportedly valuing the company at $11 billion.

Sept. 7

On in early September set the number of shares for its IPO at 31,100,000, including 25,442,391 from On itself and 5,657,609 from “certain selling shareholders,” the company said in a release. The share price is expected to be between $18 and $20, and underwriters will have the option to purchase up to an additional 4,665,000 shares.

Aug. 23

Running brand On entered the hot IPO market in August, with plans to list itself on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker, “ONON.” The Roger Federer-backed sportswear company did not specify the number of shares to be offered or the price of those shares. According to its prospectus, On has grown net sales at a compound annual growth rate of 85% from its founding in 2010 through 2020. Last year, the brand recorded net sales of 425.3 million Swiss Francs ($465.7 million).

The company’s growth plans include expanding its DTC channels by enhancing its digital experience and building out “a very selective presence with flagship locations in key cities around the globe,” as well as continuing to grow wholesale. New product categories are on the horizon as well, including moving from selling just footwear to apparel and accessories.

After months of speculation, Adidas officially put Reebok up for sale in February. “After careful consideration, we have come to the conclusion that Reebok and adidas will be able to significantly better realize their growth potential independently of each other,” CEO Kasper Rorsted said in a statement at the time. “We will work diligently in the coming months to ensure a successful future for the Reebok brand and the team behind it.”

In August, Adidas announced the search was over, with an agreement to sell Reebok to Authentic Brands Group for around $2.5 billion. That’s about $1.3 billion less than the $3.8 billion Adidas paid for Reebok in 2006, but significantly higher than the $1 billion bid Authentic Brands reportedly made earlier in the year. The deal is expected to close in Q1 of 2022.

Once a major competitor in the sports market, Reebok has since shrunk to focus more squarely on the fitness space. Authentic Brands plans to maintain Reebok’s footprint “across retail, wholesale and e-commerce channels.”

With consumers not only embracing denim for all sorts of occasions but also switching from skinny jeans to looser styles, market leader Levi’s has things pretty well sewn up. But its plans to acquire DTC brand Beyond Yoga for an undisclosed amount show that the iconic retailer is not satisfied with simply riding out its present good fortune and is apparently loath to miss out on the boom in athleisure.

Founded in 2005, Beyond Yoga will remain a separate division of Levi’s and keep its own chief executive, co-founder Michelle Wahler, who will report to Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh. The brand, like Levi’s itself, says it embraces inclusivity, offering sizes from XXS to 4X. Over the past three years, Beyond Yoga’s revenues more than doubled; as part of Levi’s portfolio, it has an opportunity to grow more rapidly and more widely.

The move throws more heat on an already fiercely competitive market, where Gap Inc.’s rapidly rising Athleta brand has taken on industry stalwart Lululemon, and several mass-market chains and other retailers have introduced activewear and athleisure assortments of their own

Sequential Brands sold the brand assets for Ellen Tracy for $17 million and its Caribbean Joe brand for $3 million in a deal with a company affiliated with GMA Group. Sequential — which owns Jessica Simpson, Joe’s Jeans, And1, Avia and other brands — has been selling off assets to raise cash for lenders and stabilize its finances. Sequential originally bought the Ellen Tracy and Caribbean Joe apparel labels in 2013 for $62.3 million, three times what it sold them for in 2021.

Wolverine World Wide announced it acquired fitness brand Sweaty Betty for around $410 million in an all-cash transaction. The conglomerate, which is best known for its portfolio of footwear brands including Sperry, Hush Puppies, Keds and Stride Rite, sees the acquisition as a way to expand its DTC strategy and further define itself as a lifestyle company.

Sweaty Betty’s CEO, Julia Straus, will continue to lead the brand and will report to Wolverine World Wide President Brendan Hoffman.

Nov. 1

Foot Locker completed its acquisition of Japanese retailer Atmos for $360 million on Nov. 1, according to a company press release. Atmos will keep its brand name under Foot Locker. “We are delighted to officially welcome Atmos’s iconic founder, Hidefumi Hommyo, and the entire Atmos team to the Foot Locker family,” Dick Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Foot Locker, said in a statement. “We deeply value Atmos’s unique brand, innovative, experiential stores, premium offerings, collaborations and understanding of sneakerhead culture.”

Aug. 2

Foot Locker on Aug. 2 announced it would acquire Japanese retailer Atmos’ parent company Text Trading Company for $360 million in cash, one of two acquisitions the company made that day. Atmos has 49 stores globally, the vast majority (39) of which are located in Japan.

Atmos made around $175 million in revenue last year and the acquisition is designed to give Foot Locker a chance to grow its influence in the “rapidly growing Asia-Pacific market,” specifically Japan, which has the third-largest economy globally. Atmos expands upon Foot Locker’s positioning as well, with the retailer operating in the “premium boutique streetwear” market rather than Foot Locker’s core athletics space.

Sept. 20