Global consumer-focused investment firm L Catterton has made a minority investment in high-performance natural skincare brand Irene Forte to fuel global expansion.
WHO: Irene Forte Skincare was founded by Irene Forte in 2018 for use in spas housed in the five-star Rocco Forte Hotels, owned by her father Sir Rocco Forte. The brand has been at the forefront of the "Natural Science" movement based on 35 years of research by the brand’s Scientific Director, Dr. Francesca Ferri, a pioneer in the medical use of plant extracts to treat skin conditions. Irene has introduced novel ingredients and advanced actives, showing profound results in independent clinical and consumer trials. The entire line is sustainably produced in small batches, with the core ingredients sourced from the Forte family’s organic farm in Sicily.
L Catterton is a market-leading consumer-focused investment firm, managing approximately $33 billion of equity capital and three multi-product platforms: private equity, credit, and real estate. Founded in 1989, the firm has made over 250 investments in some of the world's most iconic consumer brands. Current and past beauty investments include Tula, Merit, Oddity (parent company of Il Makiage), Bliss, Function of Beauty, The Honest Company, Elemis, Nutrafol, Intercos, Marubi, and many others.
WHY: L Catterton's investment positions the company for continued growth in Europe and the US as the brand expands its presence among luxury retailers and online partners. Irene Forte Skincare team will prioritize investing in and growing with loyal partners, while strategically expanding into additional valuable brick-and-mortar doors. Significant investment in D2C will underpin retailer growth.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: “This is the beginning of a new and exciting journey, and is the culmination of a voyage of discovery that began whilst working in my family's hotel business and fruitlessly looking for a skin care collection that was natural, but rooted in science,” said Irene Forte, founder and CEO. “Just four years later, we are already a global brand, thanks to product results that speak for themselves. L Catterton’s support is instrumental in enabling us to compete with the superbrands in our space, while influencing the industry’s standards and impact.”
“Irene Forte Skincare is a highly distinctive brand that has quickly established a reputation for trailblazing sustainability in the beauty industry, while harnessing the power of natural ingredients and the highest standards of scientific research,” says Michael Farello, a Managing Partner in L Catterton’s Growth Fund. "We look forward to working with Irene and the team on long-term growth and carrying on their track record of fast-paced, industry-leading innovation.”
EMV: Despite delivering just $83.7K EMV in Q3, Irene Forte Skincare enjoyed a whopping 1.1K% QoQ improvement. Twenty-seven creators posted about the brand 45 times, figures that marked respective 170% and 50% QoQ progress. Virtually all ($83.0K EMV) of this total was driven by incoming creators. Top earner Jayde Pierce (@jaydepierce on Instagram) shared four posts tagging Irene Forte Skincare with #FoundItOnAmazon, while no. 2 earner Skincare Anarchy (@skincareanarchy on Instagram) listed several offerings from the brand on its roundups of top skincare and beauty products. Jayde and Skincare Anarchy accounted for a respective $17.8K EMV and $15.9K EMV.
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