BDA advises J. Mendel on its sale to Stallion

BDA Partners is pleased to announce that its client, luxury fashion house J. Mendel, Inc, has been sold by majority owner The Gores Group to Stallion, Inc, a privately held company. Gilles Mendel will retain a significant stake in J. Mendel and will continue as Chief Creative Officer of the company. BDA acted as the lead advisor, alongside Vendôme Global Partners, to Gores and J. Mendel. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in New York, J. Mendel has evolved from a legendary, fifth-generation French fur house, to a global luxury fashion brand with its use of fur as fabric, and its creation of an impeccable ready-to-wear collection. A favorite on the red carpet, J. Mendel’s feminine sophistication serves as a hallmark of the brand. J. Mendel is sold in top tier specialty stores globally, and in its own retail stores.

The combination of J. Mendel and Stallion will create a leading luxury fur and ready-to-wear fashion house with significant synergies and opportunities globally. Stallion has deep production expertise and capabilities to support J. Mendel’s continued growth.

Euan Rellie, Senior Managing Director at BDA, said, “We’re proud to have initiated and executed this transaction. J. Mendel is a fantastic brand and Stallion represents the perfect partner. Stallion shares J. Mendel’s vision to develop an international luxury brand, and will invest behind the brand and management to allow them to take advantage of significant opportunities, both geographically and in new product categories.”

Justine Mannering, Managing Director at BDA, added, “This transaction builds on BDA’s strong Consumer and Luxury practice, and demonstrates the depth of our relationships and experience managing global luxury transactions. We look forward to continuing to work with J. Mendel and Stallion as they move forward together.”

For more information, please contact Euan Rellie or Justine Mannering in New York at +1 212 265 5300

About J. Mendel
J. Mendel is a fifth-generation luxury brand established on the principles of high quality, style, and impeccable craftsmanship. Continuing in the couture tradition of his ancestors, creative director Gilles Mendel transformed the company from a luxury fur house into a fully-fledged fashion house with the launch of its ready-to-wear collection in 2002. Since then, he has introduced J. Mendel bridal, accessories, handbags, and home furnishings. In recognition of his achievements in women’s fashion, Mendel was inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2003, and was awarded the prestigious Cooper-Hewitt National Fashion Design Award in 2011. www.jmendel.com

About The Gores Group
The Gores Group, founded in 1987 by Alec Gores, is a global investment firm focused on acquiring controlling interests in mature and growing businesses which can benefit from the firm’s operating experience and flexible capital base. The firm combines the operational expertise and detailed due diligence capabilities of a strategic buyer with the seasoned M&A team of a traditional financial buyer. Over its 25 year history, The Gores Group has become a leading investor having demonstrated a reliable track record of creating value in its portfolio companies alongside management. Headquartered in Los Angeles, The Gores Group maintains offices in Boulder, CO, and London. www.gores.com

About BDA
BDA Partners is a leader in cross-border investment banking involving Asia. BDA advises on M&A, capital raising, and restructuring. BDA has been consistently owned and managed by the same team since 1996. BDA has a track record of providing independent advice to blue-chip corporate and financial sponsor clients from North America, Europe, and Asia. BDA is headquartered in New York with offices in London, Bahrain, Mumbai, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA was named M&A Advisory Firm of the Year at The ACG Champions Awards in 2015. BDA formed a partnership with William Blair & Company in 2011. www.bdapartners.com

BDA carries out its US securities business through BDA Advisors Inc., a broker-dealer registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a member of FINRA and SIPC. BDA’s UK subsidiary is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.