Roberto Cavalli to be Acquired by Marquee Brands
Marquee Brands has acquired a majority stake in the Italian brand, in the latest of a string of luxury acquisitions by brand management firms.
Reported by Vogue.
Roberto Cavalli — the house that dressed Aaliyah in chainmail and gave Jennifer Lopez some of her most iconic red carpet moments — has a new owner. Marquee Brands, the New York-based brand management company behind BCBG, Laura Ashley, and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in the Italian fashion house, according to Vogue. Financial terms were not disclosed.
This is Marquee's first foray into luxury, a significant pivot for a company better known for mid-market brand stewardship. The move also signals something larger: brand management firms are aggressively elbowing into the luxury lane. Last week alone, WHP Global announced its acquisition of Marc Jacobs from LVMH. The wolves are circling, and they are bringing capital-efficient business models with them. "Roberto Cavalli stands as one of luxury's defining Italian houses," said Marquee CEO Heath Golden, who emphasized "thoughtful brand stewardship" and "strategic expansion" as the road ahead.
From Clessidra to Damac to Marquee: The Long Road Back
Founded in 1970 by the late Roberto Cavalli — who died in 2024 — the brand spent decades as fashion's most unapologetic maximalist, then spent the years since 2015 trying to find its footing. Cavalli stepped down from his own label that year, having sold a majority stake to private equity firm Clessidra. Peter Dundas and Paul Surridge each cycled through the creative director seat before Dubai-based Damac Properties took full ownership in 2019. Fausto Puglisi has helmed the creative side since 2020. Damac remains a shareholder in the new structure and will expand the Cavalli name through branded residences and hospitality — because of course a maximalist fashion house belongs in a lobby somewhere.
Milan-based operating partner The Level Group will run the day-to-day mechanics: design development, manufacturing, distribution, retail, e-commerce, and wholesale. The broader expansion roadmap targets Europe, the UK, the US, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, with new product categories also on the table. Zachary Sigel, managing director at Neuberger and Marquee co-founder, pointed to the company's "disciplined brand management" and "long-term investment horizon" as the engine driving it all.
The Cavalli name has always had more cultural heat than corporate stability — and whoever finally figures out how to harness both will have something genuinely powerful on their hands.
Read the original at Vogue.
