L'Oreal Group Invests in Jacquemus Retail Expansion and Future Beauty Business

Joy, spontaneity, laughter, exuberance — the DNA of Simon Porte Jacquemus’s eponymous brand delights most who view it on Instagram or better yet, in person. Fashion journalism adds ‘charming’, while the designer himself reflects a moment before saying “happy, excited, impatient” in a self-description.

“We know me,” Jacquemus told journalist Emma Hope Allwood, “for my smile and my sunshine and my [love of the] seaside.”

The Winter 2024/25 issue of Vogue notes that a love of Jacquemus tends to be an obsessive relationship. The label was founded 15 years ago, when the designer was age 19 and had just lost his mother in a car accident. Over that time period, Jacquemus developed like a young wine in stages of selling a few exuberant, tightly-edited collections of breezy, bold colors—largely online.

Five years ago, revenues crossed the $10 million mark, and Jacquemus mulled the opening of a store in Paris. In spring 2024, the growing cult brand opened stores in Dubai, Capri, and Saint-Tropez, followed by New York and London. Jacquemus annual revenue estimates had climbed to $250 million.

Sharing the Jacquemus Holiday 2024 campaign, AOC reported that the brand had maxed out its growth opportunities until it obtained a minority investor. The designer may bestow sunshine on friends — new and old — wherever he goes, but he’s also financially prudent and one might say ‘cautious’ about financing his business.

Prudent is the better word, because soon the financial markets were well aware that Simon Porte Jacquemus was looking for an investor. And the founder, featured here with his husband Marco Maestri and models Devyn Garcia and Deva Cassel lensed by Theo de Gueltzl in their getaway home along the French coast, mounted a PR blitz in Condé Nast.

The couple have twin babies Mia and Sun, born in April 2024.]

Rumors that Jacquemus had indeed retained Rothschild & Co. to help it find a minority investor were published in WWD. The timing was not perfect, given the luxury sector turndown expected to dent 2025 revenues for many household luxury names. And that’s before the rumblings in America under a new Trump administration.

Following this article came a story How Jacquemus Became the Main Character of French Fashion in British GQ. Shortly after, Apple featured the designer as part of their ongoing relationship, creating a one-minute film "Just a normal day at Jacquemus ateliers".

The brand also announced it would team up with Apple to capture "La Croisière," its January 2025 Paris Fashion Week coed runway show, using the camera system on the iPhone 16 Pro Max devices.

On January 28, Jacquemus announced that it has tapped Celine North America president Sarah Benady as its next chief executive officer. There was no doubt that an announcement was coming soon in this perfectly-orchestrated business PR blitz based on business fundamentals and not marketing word salads.

The announcement came today, February 7, that L’Oréal Group has made a minority investment in Jacquemus to fund the house’s ongoing retail growth and expansion into the beauty sector.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jacquemus and unleash together its outstanding luxury beauty potential. With its singular brand positioning, fueled by sensational creativity and social first playfulness, Jacquemus will perfectly complement L’Oréal Luxe’s portfolio of iconic brands and reinforce our worldwide leadership,” said Cyril Chapuy, president of L’Oréal Luxe.

“Fifteen years ago, I began dreaming of and creating Jacquemus, with perfume and beauty always part of my vision for the brand. Today, I am proud to continue shaping this dream with the leading beauty group, L’Oréal. I’m excited to see what the future holds for us,” said Simon Porte Jacquemus, president, founder and creative director of Jacquemus.

This is not the end of a wonderful story. Perhaps the middle, but my instincts say we’re on the front end of part 2 of 3 with the evolution of the wonderful Jacquemus brand.

It’s easy to be excited about the future of this spine-tingling, business-development journey, as we ride along metaphorically with wonderful, young French parents who wrote to their newborns: “Welcome to earth, our love,” the pair wrote beside a photo of the babies’ hands. “We love you so much. Our dream has come true with you, Papa Marco and Papa Simon.” ~ Anne