Victoria’s Secret Takes Stake in Frankies Bikinis: Could Your Brand Be Next?
This past spring, lingerie empire Victoria’s Secret invested $18 million dollars into millennial entrepreneur-run swimwear brand, Frankies Bikinis. The percentage of stake into the company is unknown, however the investment sparks two major questions for budding designers building their own brands from scratch; How can I best position my brand to catch the attention of investors, and will I be next?
For the past 10 years, Frankies Bikinis has been a leader in producing trendsetting yet playful swim and beachwear that has attracted the eyes and dollars of millions. Frankies has successfully ridden the Instagram marketing wave all the way to 1.3 million loyal followers. They participate in a variety of influencer, celebrity, and athlete collaborations drawing the attention of both the brand and collaborator’s fanbases.
Like many of the swimwear brands we see at PARAISO, Frankies is a female-founded company run by mother-daughter duo Mimi and Francesca Aiello. In regards to why a company like Frankies sparked the interest of Victoria’s Secret, chief executive Martin Waters stated “Our investment in Frankies Bikinis is a continuation of our efforts to expand partnerships with culturally relevant brands founded by women entrepreneurs.”
After recently reintroducing the swimwear category to their product assortment Victoria’s Secret may be on the lookout for other emerging swimwear brands to take stake in this coming swim week, and it wouldn’t be the first time they scouted from the PARAISO audience.
In fact, executives at Victoria’s Secret have been observing PARAISO runways for the past 5+ years. Brands such as For Love and Lemons and BFYNE have had successful collaborations with Victoria’s Secret after their PARAISO debuts.
When a designer showcases their collection at PARAISO, they are given the opportunity to present to buyers, investors, media, influencers, industry leaders, and consumers all simultaneously. Who knows? Your brand might just earn its claim to fame on the PARAISO Runway.
