Mishcon Private Equity has advised the management team of Feelunique, a leading online retailer of prestige beauty products in the UK, on its sale to Sephora, the world’s renowned omnichannel Prestige Beauty retailer, owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s leading luxury products group.
Headquartered in London, Feelunique offers its 1.3 million active customers an unparalleled range of 35,000 products from more than 800 established luxury, niche, independent and challenger brands. Feelunique’s majority-owner, Palamon Capital Partners, acquired the business in 2012 from its founders, having identified the attractive growth dynamics and defendable nature of the online beauty category, which is predicated on developing trusted relationships with the brand owners. Featured brands include Chanel, Clinique, Estée Lauder, Aveda, Tom Ford, NARS, Armani, Dermalogica, Charlotte Tilbury, Anastasia, Huda Beauty, and Clarins. The transaction is expected to complete later in the second half of 2021, following customary regulatory clearance.
The Mishcon team was led by Partner and Head of Mishcon Private Equity, Nadim Meer, and also comprised Associates Alex Green and Bridgette Gorman, with Tax advice provided by Partner John Skoulding and Managing Associate Sarah Hein.
Sarah Miles, CEO of Feelunique, said, "It was fantastic working with Nadim and the Mishcon de Reya Private Equity team. They were brought in due to their specialist knowledge and experience in these situations, helping advise management in private equity exits. Mishcon de Reya gave us invaluable advice and helped us navigate a clear path in a way that others, without their insight and empathy for management, might not have been able."
Louis Elson, Managing Partner of Palamon commented, “Nadim and the Mishcon de Reya team provided an exemplary advisory service to management, adding value beyond their scope of work through their thoughtful and responsive engagement across the many aspects of the transaction. We look forward to working with them again on other transactions.”