What does Jack Ma’s arrival in the capital of the fashion brand mean?

The founder of the ready-to-wear brand Sézane, who already set out to conquer Italy, could take another big step forward. Alibaba founder Jack Ma could take a stake in the French brand.

What if one of the French ready-to-wear flagships changed dimensions again? Ten years after its creation, Sézane still makes its customers addicted, and its economic model based on online sales (80% of its revenue) captured the Bettencourt Meyers family (heirs and main shareholders of L’Oréal), who in September 2023 introduced the company’s capital via its investment holding company Tethys Invest. In addition to his success in France, Sézane also attacked the United States and then Europe by opening his first pop-up store in Milan, Italy.

But its founder, Morgane Sézalory, could see even bigger things, according to l’Informed, since the founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma, could acquire part of Sézane’s capital. In fact, the American General Atlantic, in the capital since 2018, announced its intention to sell a stake last June. And according to The echoesthis transaction could value the brand at more than a billion euros. The American Foundation would put 20% on the table of the capital and Blue Pool Capital (owned by Jack Ma and his partner Joe Tsai) would be interested in half.

450 million euros in revenue

As remembered The echoesit wouldn’t be the first time the family office has invested in ready-to-wear, having already injected $21 million six years ago. Rent the runwaya designer-ready-to-carry rental platform. This transaction would enable Morgane Sézalory to open another market, in Asiawhile it is already enjoying resounding success in the US (a third of its activity) in New York and California.

A source close to the matter interviewed by our colleagues indicates that the founder of Sézane is looking for a long-term partner for the remaining 10%, “and not an investment fund”. With a turnover estimated at 250 million euros in 2021, it would now be close 450 million eurosindicates to Echoes the ready-to-wear expert from Roland Berger, Yann Kretz. Enough to whet the appetite of older adults. This is also why Jack Ma and his partner are not the only ones on the case.