Estée Lauder Cos. to acquire Le Labo
NEW YORK — The Estée Lauder Cos. looks to acquire Le Labo, a fragrance and sensory lifestyle brand with a French heritage. Terms of the deal were not disclosed; the acquisition is expected to close in November.
Founded in 2006 by fragrance industry veterans Fabrice Penot and Eddie Roschi, Le Labo provides an assortment of fragrance and sensory lifestyle products in minimalistic retail environments, including the brand’s freestanding stores in New York, London, Paris, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo and Hong Kong, as well as select prestige department stores in global flagship cities, and the brand’s website. Le Labo has offices in New York and London.
Le Labo’s current product offerings include fragrances, body care products and candles, as well as limited-edition “City Exclusive” scents, available only in certain boutiques by region.
“Le Labo is the perfect complement to our portfolio of prestige beauty brands,” stated Fabrizio Freda, president and CEO of the Estée Lauder Cos. “Fabrice and Eddie have built a beautiful, incredibly unique brand with a focus on craftsmanship, personalization, and High-Touch services. We look forward to collaborating closely with them to continue building on their extraordinary success with discerning global consumers.”
“Entrepreneurship is at the heart of our company’s heritage,” added William P. Lauder, executive chairman, the Estée Lauder Cos. “One of the leading strengths of our company is our ability to identify brands with unique positioning and nurture them to accelerate their momentum and realize their full growth potential. We are so pleased that the addition of Le Labo – with its strong growth trajectory as a global fragrance and sensory lifestyle brand – will continue this legacy.”
Le Labo will be overseen by John Demsey, the Estée Lauder Cos., group president, who is responsible for Estée Lauder, M·A·C, Tom Ford, Prescriptives, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone, La Mer, Bumble and bumble, Smashbox and Aramis & Designer Fragrances.