Phoenix Asset Management increases its stake in Hornby Hobbies to over 70% after increasing its stake to over 50% last month.
Italian toy manufacturer Giochi Preziosi sells its 50% stake in Prenatal Retail Group to Artsana, giving Artsana full ownership of European retail brands brands Toy Centre, King Jouet, Prenatal, and Bimbostore. The deal is estimated to be worth 105 million euros, or $122 million.
The S.D.N.Y. U.S. Bankruptcy Court approves BCBG Max Azria Group’s restructuring plan, which includes the sale of a majority of its assets, including IP, inventory, and retail store leases to Marquee Brands and Global Brands Group.
Michael Kors Holdings acquires luxury footwear and accessories brand Jimmy Choo for approximately $1.35 billion. Pierre Denis will continue as CEO of Jimmy Choo. The deal will further expand Michael Kors in the men’s luxury footwear category and luxury accessories market as well as provide the opportunity to grow Jimmy Choo sales to $1 billion.
VF Corp. is investing an additional $40 million to fuel growth for 2018; a key priority for the company is M&A as well as developing its four consumer categories across its brands (run, train, lifestyle, and urban exploration).
Amazon inks a collaborative deal with luxury beauty company Violet Grey to offer a set of luxury brands to sell on its e-commerce site in exchange for a 20–30% commission, according to WWD.
Aardman and Independent Films launch a joint animation and live action production company that will offer a solution to brands and agencies which require both live action and animation within one film.
Brand experience agency Ralph Creative forms a collaboration with VR and AR specialist Kuju to offer a one-stop-shop for creating groundbreaking VR and AR experiences across any platform.
J.C. Penney is rolling out new 500 sq. ft. toy shops across all of its over 1,000 department stores as well as online. The move is apparently a bid to decrease the retailer’s reliance on apparel.
Barnes & Noble’s investor, Sandell Asset Management Corp., urges the bookseller to hire an investment banking firm to review its strategic options, which might include selling itself.