Chanel Owners and L’Oréal Heiress Have Invested in The Row

The Row, founded by the Olsen sisters, has recently sought additional investments. The family that owns French luxury house Chanel and the billionaire heiress of L’Oréal have both purchased a stake in the Oslen twins’ brand.

According to Bloomberg, the family behind Chanel, specifically the Wertheimer brothers, have bought a minority stake in The Row through their family office Mousse Partners and L’Oréal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers invests through her family vehicle, Tethys Invest. Fashion entrepreneur Natalie Massenet, who is the former executive chairman of Net-a-Porter, is also slated to invest in the label through her company Imaginary Ventures with Nick Brown. The Olsen sisters will still remain as The Row’s majority shareholders but this investment is expected to bring the valuation of the company up to $1 billion USD. So far, representatives from all parties have declined to comment.

With The Row, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have made a name for themselves in the quiet luxury sphere. Just earlier this year, The Row made headlines when it asked attendees to refrain from using social media during its Paris Fashion Week show, giving way to another level of exclusivity. The Row is considered one of the most sought-after brands in the world, with their handbags like the Margaux consistently selling out, even at a cost of $7,000 USD.

The family behind Chanel are amongst a trio of France’s wealthiest dynasties. Mousse, the firm led by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer’s half-brother Charles, helped to take private Rothschild & Co. investment bank. The family office has been known to diversify on its investments, including in digital advertising firm Brandtech Group, Brightside Health,, biotechnology company Evolved by Nature and health-care provider Thirty Madison. Brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer are estimated to have a fortune worth around $43 billion USD. As for Meyers family’s Tethys, they have notably invested in French label Sezane and Ceva Sante, a company known for making pharmaceutical products and vaccines for livestock and pets. Bettencourt Meyers is the billionaire heiress to L’Oréal. Most of her fortune is amassed through her controlling stake in the company and is estimated to be around $84 billion USD.