REG - Oakley Capital Inv. - Oakley expands portfolio of heritage brands

Oakley Capital InvestmentsAnnouncement

Tue 07:00

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RNS Number : 0814P  Oakley Capital Investments Limited  01 July 2025

1 July 2025

 

Oakley Capital Investments Limited

 

Oakley Capital Investments Limited(1) ("OCI") is pleased to announce that
Oakley Capital's Iconic BrandCo is investing in premium lifestyle brands
Smythson of Bond Street, Fornasetti, and Fabbrica Pelletterie Milano ('FPM'),
complementing its existing investments. Established in 2020, Iconic BrandCo is
an Oakley Capital Fund III(2) vehicle, investing in and creating value in
luxury, heritage brands.

OCI's indirect contribution via Fund III is anticipated to be c.£15 million,
which relates to OCI's share of Oakley's investment in Smythson, Fornasetti
and FPM.

Further details on the transaction can be found in the below announcement from
Oakley Capital(3).

 

Oakley Capital expands portfolio of heritage brands with investments in
Smythson, Fornasetti and Fabbrica Pelletterie Milano

Oakley Capital, a leading mid-market private equity investor, is pleased to
announce that Oakley's Iconic BrandCo is investing in premium lifestyle brands
Smythson of Bond Street ('Smythson'), Fornasetti, and Fabbrica Pelletterie
Milano ('FPM'), complementing its existing investments. Established in 2020,
Iconic BrandCo is an Oakley Capital Fund III vehicle, investing in and
creating value in luxury, heritage brands.

Founded in London in 1887, Smythson specialises in high-quality leather goods
and stationery with a rich heritage that includes producing stationery for
Winston Churchill and members of the British Royal family. Today, Smythson is
one of only seven brands worldwide to hold two royal warrants. The company
sells its products through seven stores and concessions across the UK, France
and Japan, and globally via ecommerce channels.

Founded in 1940 and headquartered in Milan, Fornasetti is an iconic luxury
design atelier renowned for its eclectic, handcrafted home décor items sold
via multiple channels including wholesale, retail and online, as well as via
distributors in Italy and abroad.

FPM is a family-owned, luxury Italian luggage maker that was established in
Milan in 1956. The company sells its products through distributors as well as
through collaborations with leading luxury brands.

These new acquisitions will enhance and diversify Oakley's Iconic BrandCo
platform, which currently comprises heritage brands Alessi, a high-end Italian
design business focused on homeware products, Globe-Trotter, a premium,
British luggage maker and Connolly, a luxury British brand known for its
high-end leather goods and apparel.

The latest acquisitions mark an important step in Oakley's strategy of
building a diversified group of luxury, heritage brands. Oakley aims to
significantly grow the sales and value of Smythson, Fornasetti and FPM by
accelerating their international expansion, digitising operations, and
enhancing their brand positioning and digital marketing - strategies it is
already successfully applying to Globe-Trotter, Alessi and Connolly.

The newly acquired companies will also benefit from enhanced, central
resources, as Iconic BrandCo recruits additional talent in marketing, AI &
data, finance and real estate. A broader heritage brand portfolio will also
enable operational synergies, including shared manufacturing relationships,
and increased purchasing power in both goods and media.

Oakley Capital co-Founder & CEO Peter Dubens said: "Heritage brands cannot
be created overnight: it can take decades or longer to build a reputation and
a loyal customer base through the application of high-quality craftsmanship,
product innovation and marketing excellence. We are lucky to be able to
welcome three such prestigious brands to Oakley and to have the opportunity to
assist them in unlocking the significant value within each."

Oakley Capital Operating Partner Vicente Castellano said: "The addition of
Smythson, Fornasetti and FPM to Oakley's Iconic BrandCo marks a real milestone
in our ambition to develop a collection of truly unique brands. By leveraging
our expertise and investment in human talent, ecommerce and
internationalisation, we see strong potential to develop them into global
lifestyle businesses."

 

- ends -

 

For further information please contact:

 

Oakley Capital Limited

+44 20 7766 6900

Steven Tredget

 

Greenbrook

+44 20 7952 2000

Rob White / Michael Russell

 

Deutsche Numis (Financial Adviser & Broker)

+44 20 7260 1000

Nathan Brown / Matt Goss

 

Notes:

LEI Number: 213800KW6MZUK12CQ815

(1 )About Oakley Capital Investments Limited ("OCI")

OCI is a Specialist Fund Segment ("SFS") traded investment vehicle that aims
to provide shareholders with consistent long-term capital growth in excess of
the FTSE All-Share Index by providing liquid access to private equity returns
through investment in the Oakley Funds.

A video introduction to OCI is available
at https://oakleycapitalinvestments.com/videos/
(https://oakleycapitalinvestments.com/videos/)

The contents of the OCI website are not incorporated into, and do not form
part of, this announcement.

(2) The Oakley Funds

Oakley Capital Private Equity II, Oakley Capital Private Equity III, Oakley
Capital IV, Oakley Capital V, Oakley Capital VI, Oakley Capital Origin and
Oakley Capital Origin II are unlisted lower-mid to mid-market private equity
funds that aim to provide investors with significant long-term capital
appreciation. The investment strategy of the Funds is to focus on buy-out
opportunities in industries with the potential for growth, consolidation and
performance improvement. The Oakley family of funds also includes Oakley
PROfounders Fund III and Oakley Touring Venture Fund, which are venture
capital funds focused on investments in entrepreneur-led, disruptive,
technology led companies.

(3) Oakley Capital, the Investment Adviser

Founded in 2002, Oakley Capital Limited has demonstrated the repeated ability
to source attractive growth assets at attractive prices. To do this it relies
on its sector and regional expertise, its ability to tackle transaction
complexity and its deal generating entrepreneur network.

Important information

Specialist Fund Segment securities are not admitted to the Official List of
the Financial Conduct Authority. Therefore, the Company has not been required
to satisfy the eligibility criteria for admission to listing on the Official
List and is not required to comply with the Financial Conduct Authority's
Listing Rules.

The Specialist Fund Segment is intended for institutional, professional,
professionally advised and knowledgeable investors who understand, or who have
been advised of, the potential risk from investing in companies admitted to
the Specialist Fund Segment.

This announcement may include "forward-looking statements". These
forward-looking statements are statements regarding the Company's objectives,
intentions, beliefs or current expectations with respect to, amongst other
things, the Company's financial position, business strategy, results of
operations, liquidity, prospects and growth. Forward-looking statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on
circumstances that may or may not occur in the future.  Accordingly the
Company's actual future financial results, operational performance and
achievements may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the
statements. Given these uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not
to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak
only as at the date of this announcement. The Company expressly disclaims any
obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements
contained herein to reflect actual results or any change in the Company's
expectations with regard to them or any change in events, conditions or
circumstances on which any such statements are based unless required to do so
by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Listing Rules or
Prospectus Regulation Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority or other
applicable laws, regulations or rules.

 

 

 

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