Marquee Brands has acquired the Ben Sherman brand and related intellectual property assets from Oxford Industries, Inc. Established in 1963, The Ben Sherman brand and shirt is synonymous with British youth culture.
Ben Sherman's colours, cuts and patterns have influenced modern men's wear by combining British style with international fashion trends.
"We are particularly excited about this transaction as Ben Sherman is consistent with our mission to acquire high quality brands with substantial global growth potential," says Michael DeVirgilio, president of Marquee Brands. "The current management team under Oxford's leadership has done a great job building on the core essence of the brand. We've received supportive messages from retailers across the globe that share our view of the growth opportunity ahead."
Ben Sherman is the second investment for Marquee Brands this year following its acquisition of Italian luxury brand Bruno Magli in February. Both brands represent a growing portfolio of relevant, storied brands with rich history and a global footprint, with Bruno Magli founded in 1936 in Bologna, Italy and Ben Sherman established in 1963 in Brighton, England.
"Ben Sherman remains a uniquely classic British brand with a loyal following across five continents and a smartness that's ageless. Its heritage, style and authenticity fits perfectly within Marquee's growing portfolio," says Cory M Baker, chief operating officer of Marquee Brands. "Our plans to market and promote the brand across various lifestyle categories are well underway with new products and expanded retail coming to market as early as first quarter, 2016."
Marquee Brands is sponsored by Neuberger Berman Private Equity, a business of Neuberger Berman. "At Marquee Brands we remain committed to creating a diversified and global portfolio. We look forward to building on the success of Ben Sherman as we extend the brand by product, geography and channel," said Zachary Sigel (pictured), of Neuberger Berman and director of Marquee Brands.
