Isabel Marant
Montefiore Investment (majority) · France
Isabel Marant is a Paris fashion house founded in 1994 by the designer of the same name, known for a relaxed, bohemian take on French style. Private equity firm Montefiore Investment acquired a majority stake in 2016, with the designer and her partners keeping the rest.
| Founded | 1994, Paris |
|---|---|
| Founder | Isabel Marant |
| Owner | Montefiore Investment (51% since 2016) |
| Diffusion line | Étoile (since 2000) |
| Revenue | Just under 300 million euros (2022, The Business of Fashion) |
| Website | isabelmarant.com |
What is Isabel Marant?
Isabel Marant is a French ready-to-wear and accessories brand that sits at the accessible end of luxury. It is associated with an effortless, bohemian Parisian style and with hit products such as wedge sneakers and the Oskan Moon bag.
History
Isabel Marant, born in 1967, studied at Studio Berçot and co-founded an early label with Christophe Lemaire before launching her own brand in 1994. She showed at Paris Fashion Week from 1995. The diffusion line Étoile followed in 2000 as a more casual and affordable offer, and menswear, now branded Marant, was added later.
In 2016 the Paris private equity firm Montefiore Investment bought 51% of the company, while Isabel Marant and her original partners Nathalie Chemouny and Sophie Duruflé kept 49%. The Business of Fashion reported in early 2023 that Montefiore remained majority owner, had explored a sale in 2022 and shelved it, and that chief executive Anouck Duranteau-Loeper had led the company since 2016.
Products and positioning
- Womenswear mainline, shown in Paris
- Étoile, repositioned as a casual weekend and holiday line
- Marant menswear
- Shoes, bags, jewellery and eyewear
According to The Business of Fashion, accessories and leather goods made up about 30% of sales, and annual revenue was just under 300 million euros in 2022.
Business model and distribution
The brand combines a growing own-store network, which rose from nine stores in 2016 to more than 70 by 2023, with wholesale to leading department stores and online retailers in more than 35 countries. Eyewear is licensed to Safilo under a ten-year deal from 2020, and in 2021 the company launched Isabel Marant Vintage, its own resale site.
Why it matters
Isabel Marant has shown how a designer brand can scale beyond its founder's signature look while keeping wholesale and retail in balance. Its in-house resale platform is an early example of a fashion brand taking control of its secondary market.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Isabel Marant?
Montefiore Investment, a Paris private equity firm, bought 51% of Isabel Marant in 2016. The designer and her original business partners kept the remaining 49%.
Is Isabel Marant a luxury brand?
Isabel Marant is usually placed at the accessible end of luxury. It shows at Paris Fashion Week and sells through luxury department stores, with Étoile as a more affordable line.
