Jaya Apparel Group secures growth equity investment from Brand Velocity Group
Jaya Apparel Group announced on Wednesday a strategic investment from private equity firm Brand Velocity Group (BVG). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
As part of the agreement, Jaya is expected to benefit from expanded business opportunities, sales growth and global expansion efforts, including opening new brick-and-mortar stores.
BVG last year launched a fashion and apparel vertical with industry luminary Gary Wassner. The investment marks the firm’s first investment in the fashion industry since launching the vertical.
“Jaya is one of the most thrilling companies I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the last decade,” said Wassner. “The company covers every base, from product to fit, consistency to quality, strong core components, and exceptional management, while always providing its consumer with something new and exciting. I look forward to our new partnership, and helping them take the company to the next level.”
“Our partnership with Jaya marks a great milestone for BVG as we build out our fashion and apparel vertical with an exceptional group of entrepreneurs and visionaries,” added Steve Lebowitz, founding partner at BVG. “The Jaya team has built one of the most compelling franchises in all of fashion, and their enthusiasm to grow further in thoughtful and creative ways is inspiring. We look forward to hitting the ground running.”
Jaya was established in 2009 by industry veterans Jane Siskin and Jalal El Basri. It is behind labels including Cinq à Sept and Likely, which currently offer ready-to-wear styles, in addition to Cinq à Sept’s recently launched beachwear line. Jaya brands are sold at over 400 points of distribution worldwide, have a strong e-commerce presence, and, as of April, are featured at a flagship boutique storefront in Soho, NYC.
“This is a monumental moment for our company,” said Siskin. “I am so proud of what we have built at Jaya. Just this year alone, we celebrated major milestones with our first-ever store in Soho, expansion into the beachwear category, and as of today, our partnership with BVG. Together, we are excited to strategically grow our presence on a global scale.”
El Basri added, “We’re thrilled to partner with BVG, whose experience, knowledge, and passion for our industry were clear from our earliest conversations. We are confident that we’ve found the right team to fuel the next phase of growth for our brands, and are eager to see what we can do together.”