In a major move in the fashion industry, eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica announced on July 17, 2024, that it had reached an agreement with VF Corporation to acquire the Supreme brand for $1.5 billion in cash. The acquisition marks EssilorLuxottica's expansion into streetwear and aligns with their innovation and development journey.
Supreme, founded by James Jebbia in 1994, has built a loyal following of mostly young customers through its limited-edition clothing and accessories releases, collaborations with other brands, and exclusive direct-to-consumer sales approach. The brand operates 17 stores across the U.S., Asia, and Europe.
VF Corporation saw limited synergies between Supreme and their company, making the sale a natural next step. VF Corp.'s brands include outdoor gear companies such as The North Face and Napapijri, as well as footwear brand Vans.
EssilorLuxottica executives Francesco Milleri and Paul du Saillant expressed excitement about the acquisition, stating that Supreme's unique brand identity would offer them a direct connection to new audiences, languages, and creativity. The company plans to maintain Supreme's exclusive sales approach under their ownership.
VF Corp. expects the sale of Supreme to be dilutive to their earnings per share in fiscal 2025. VF had been working with Goldman Sachs to review its portfolio, and Supreme was identified as one of the brands for sale. EssilorLuxottica is serving as exclusive financial advisor to EssilorLuxottica on the transaction, while Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is serving as lead financial advisor and UBS Investment Bank is serving as financial advisor to VF.
EssilorLuxottica reported consolidated revenues of 24.5 billion euros in 2022 and operates under brands such as Oakley, Ray-Ban, Persol, Oliver Peoples, Chanel, Coach, and Dolce & Gabbana. The acquisition of Supreme is expected to complement their existing portfolio.
Supreme's loyal following includes celebrities and cool kids who appreciate the brand's unique style and exclusivity. The company has faced criticism for its high prices and limited availability, which have contributed to a decline in resale value on websites like StockX. However, EssilorLuxottica's strong distribution capabilities and expertise in brand management may help revive Supreme's fortunes.