Moncler owner Eurazeo builds on consumer brands success to launch dedicated division investing up to €800m, headed by former Victoria’s Secret COO Jill Granoff
French private equity giant Eurazeo, which owns fashion brands such as Moncler, Desigual and Farfetch, is to stamp its mark on the consumer brands sector by launching a dedicated division.
The investment firm, which is listed in Paris, will transfer €600m to €800m from its own balance sheet for the new Eurazeo Brands initiative.
It will be led by US retail veteran Jill Granoff, who has held senior positions at businesses such as Victoria’s Secret, Estee Lauder and Liz Claiborne where she was responsible for Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand Jeans and Kate Spade.
“We know that consumers prefer brands when shopping for fashion and beauty and other consumer packaged goods, and we’re also seeing consumer confidence and consumer spending trending upwards – specifically in the US,” said Granoff.
The New York-headquartered division will focus on investing in North American and European brands to begin with, ranging from beauty and fashion to food and wellness, but intends to take the consumer strategy global.
China, Korea and Japan will be particularly important, according to Granoff.
This will work to Eurazeo’s advantage, since the firm has an established network across Europe, opened a New York office last year, a Brazil office in 2015 and a Shanghai office in 2013.
The launch of the consumer brands division is Eurazeo’s latest move in an ongoing push to branch out.
The firm is one of a number of private equity players trying to diversify its business, in a market where many investors believe it is no longer enough to be a “plain vanilla” buyout house.
As well as its traditional flagship entity Eurazeo Capital, the firm has also established startup investor Eurazeo Croissance, small and mid-sized investor Eurazeo PME and real assets manager Eurazeo Patrimoine over recent years.