Style Capital acquires majority stake in sneaker brand Autry

Private equity firm Style Capital has reportedly snapped up a majority stake in sneaker label Autry International as part of its ongoing efforts to transform various brands into iconic names.

The Milan-based company is understood to have secured a 50.2 percent stake in the brand, with the transaction value believed to have been at around 300 million euros, according to WWD, which initially reported the news.

The deal was made with Pambianco’s The Made in Italy Fund and Autry founders, the Doro family, who will retain a 42 percent share in the company. The Made in Italy fund, meanwhile, will reinvest an 8 percent share.

Speaking to the media outlet, Roberta Benaglia, CEO and founder of Style Capital, said that the company was looking to consolidate Autry's “rapid growth” while “laying the foundations for a sustainable long-term and international growth path”.

The deal will begin with a retail expansion across Italy and beyond, with over 20 monobrand stores planned to open alongside digital channel development.

Benaglia continued: “The dream, as it was for Golden Goose [a former Style Capital investment], is always to identify a winning product and transform it into an iconic brand, invest in storytelling and brand awareness, never neglecting product innovation.

“With these premises, we will be happy to contribute to the expansion journey of a company that has proven to be so dynamic in recent years and, alongside the founders, assist in writing the next chapter of this wonderful success story.”