Fosun Fashion Rebrands as Lanvin Group in Aim to Build China’s Biggest Luxury Conglomerate

The Chinese entity that is looking to rival fashion groups in the West is putting Lanvin at the forefront of that effort. The Fosun International Limited-backed Fosun Fashion Group revealed on Monday that it has changed its name to Lanvin Group in furtherance of a larger revamp, in which it is welcoming new investors – namely, Japanese trading conglomerate ITOCHU Corporation, luxury footwear manufacturer Stella International, and Chinese private equity firm Xizhi Capital – and likely positioning itself to double-down on its existing acquisition endeavors that have seen it build out a fashion division to include majority stakes in Sergio Rossi, Wolford, Caruso, St. John, and of course, Lanvin, among others, in recent years. 

“We actually are quite open about the potential acquisition targets,” said Joann Cheng, chairwoman of Lanvin Group, stated on Monday, noting that the budding conglomerate is “open to any good targets,” and does not “have restrictions as to whether they are Western or Chinese, young or old.” According to Reuters, Cheng cited the group’s “focus on high-end labels with heritage and a history of craftsmanship, but also indicated interest in new brands with strength in fashion technology, as well as Chinese labels that could complement the group’s existing brands.” 

The news comes as the Lanvin brand has been looking to boost its profile among younger consumers – including by way of its accessories offerings – under the watch of creative director Bruno Sialelli. As we previously reported, despite cementing itself into the French fashion landscape over the past 132 years, Lanvin’s longstanding focus on garments – from founder Jeanne Lanvin’s signature robe de style silhouette (and use of color) to former Lanvin creative director Alber Elbaz’s unmatched construction of ruffles and eye-catching adornments – has meant that the brand, which maintains the title of the oldest French fashion house in operation, has come up short (compared to its competitors) when it comes to a robust arsenal of accessories. In other words, it largely lacks the often logo-emblazoned accessories that enable big, conglomerate-owned fashion brands to generate revenues reaching into the billions and and the far-reaching brand awareness that comes with it.

By TFL.

Full story at The Fashion Law.