The capital injection reported to be worth about AU$40 million (US$28.4 million) marks the resort-wear brand’s first external investment since its launch in 2004 by designer Camilla Franks.
Tattarang, a Perth-based private investment group controlled by mining tycoon Andrew Forrest, previously acquired Australian bush outfitters brand RM Williams from L Catterton for AU $190 million (US $143 million) in 2020. The Australian group’s former chief executive Andrew Hagger, who oversaw the RM Williams deal, also led the $1.16 million funding round of the Australian luxury fashion app Her Black Book last year.
Tattarang director Nicola Forrest said the investment firm is currently focusing on female founders at an earlier stage of their entrepreneurship and assisting more businesswomen to develop enterprises to the scale of Camilla. “I’ve finally found the perfect partner to help us colour the world,” said Camilla Franks. “Partnering with Nicola and the Tattarang family is the perfect brand fit for our future vision.”
Camilla chief executive Jane McNally told Inside Retail that Camilla’s leadership team won’t change under the partnership, and that the investment into international markets will likely mean new overseas hires in the coming months. The brand currently has a presence in approximately 65 countries and operates 25 physical retail stores across its home market and the US. The designer’s styles were featured several times in HBO’s recent successful TV series ‘The White Lotus.’
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