La marca francesa de prendas de punto Molli recibe inversión de LVMH Luxury Ventures
La marca francesa de prendas de punto Molli recibe inversión de LVMH Luxury Ventures
La marca francesa de prendas de punto Molli anunció el martes que recibió una inversión minoritaria de LVMH Luxury Ventures, una entidad del conglomerado LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. No se revelaron los términos de la inversión.
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| Dentro de la nueva tienda insignia de Molly en París |
This is the first outside investment for the French brand since its 2014 relaunch by CEO Charlotte de Fayet, a former L'Oréal marketing executive who revived the knitwear brand, best known for its garter stitch "baby" knitwear, which began in 1886.
"It was the right time to find a partner, as the next step requires more resources, both financial and human," de Fayet told WWD exclusively.
Molly's Growth and Global Expansion
From just two stores when de Fayette took over, Molly has grown into a company with four standalone boutiques in Paris, a highly sought-after corner store in Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, and nearly 100 wholesale accounts worldwide. Retailers include Vanille & Lilas, the retail arm of luxury hospitality group Les Airelles; 10 Corso Como in Seoul; and Space 519 in Chicago.
The company's sales exceeded €8 million last year and are on track to exceed €10 million for the 2025 fiscal year, which ends in August. Molly produces its collections, which include womenswear, a small number of accessories, and newborns, in France and Italy, in collaboration with long-standing partners.
In April, the brand opened an 1,100-square-foot flagship store on Rue François 1er, a street perpendicular to the luxury shopping center Avenue Montaigne. At the time, de Fayette said it planned to triple sales within four years.
Julie Bercové, CEO of LVMH Luxury Ventures Advisors, said: "The French knitwear specialist is ideally positioned to become a lasting reference in the luxury sector, with its distinctive design, heritage craftsmanship, and high-end workshop partners in France and Italy."
Future Plans with LVMH Support
De Fayette said the funds will go towards supporting the brand's international retail expansion, including the opening of flagship stores similar in size to the François 1er address; further advancing its craftsmanship and creativity, both through the development of innovative knitting techniques and new products; and strengthening its executive team with appointments in the coming months.
She continued: "We are on the path of a small luxury house. What best describes it is verticality, with deep mastery from its production to its distribution."
Currently, France still accounts for two-thirds of the company's revenue. But international sales are growing strongly, particularly with e-commerce, which now represents 35 percent of the business.
While openings in European capitals may come first, De Fayette is also keen to revitalize business in the United States, which currently represents 15 percent of total sales and the largest single market outside France, and the Middle East, where a segment of customers from the region has shown strong interest since the opening of the new flagship store in Paris.
Plans also include strengthening its omnichannel strategy.
About LVMH Luxury Ventures
Established in 2017, LVMH Luxury Ventures is an entity within the LVMH Group that aims to acquire minority stakes in independent brands. The investment size allocated to each company ranges from €5 million to €25 million per deal. Its investments include French brands such as Officine Universelle Buly, Gabriela Hearst, Or Legacy, and Aimé Léon d'Or.
