WHP Global Acquires Majority of G- Star Raw
● The founder will retain a stake and the management team will remain in place at the Amsterdam-based brand.
WHP Global was busy over the Labor
Day holiday, finalizing a deal to acquire a majority interest in G-Star Raw.
Financial terms were not disclosed but founder Jos van Tilburg will retain an undisclosed minority stake in the brand. In addition, the current leadership team, led by chief executive officer Rob Schilder, will continue to operate the marketing and product development as well as the wholesale, retail and e-commerce distribution out of the company's Amsterdam headquarters.
The deal to add G Star's $700 million to the fold brings WHP Global's portfolio of brands to over $7 billion in retail sales. WHP also owns Anne Klein, Joseph Abboud, Joe's Jeans, Bonobos, Isaac Mizrahi, Lotto, Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us. It also holds a 60 percent interest in the Express brand.
“In WHP Global, we experience the right strategic and financial partner for further global and sustainable growth in the decades to come, while staying true to our signature product, our dedicated teams, and our loyal business partners,” van Tilburg said.
“G-Star Raw is a strong digital denim fashion brand with an exceptional team that we believe is primed for accelerated growth,” said WHP's global chairman and CEO Yehuda Shmidman. “We are thrilled to partner with founder Jos van Tilburg and CEO Rob Schilder.”
“Over the past few years, G-Star has successfully transitioned toward an online-first company,” Schilder noted.
“We look forward to working closely with WHP Global in this partnership, as we harness their expertise to expedite G-Star's global expansion, by strengthening our presence in the U.S. and tapping into new geographies as well as new product categories.”
The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year.
G-Star Raw was founded in Amsterdam in 1989 and offers jeans and related products for men and women. Its major markets include Europe, North America, Japan and South Africa and it operates more than 185 company- owned stores globally. In the U. S., it has 12 stores as well as an e- commerce and wholesale presence with digital representing the majority of sales.
WHP Global is one of the more aggressive brand marketing firms, a group that includes Authentic Brands Group, Marquee Brands and others.