Chanel has acquired a majority stake in Grey Mer, a footwear company based in San Mauro Pascoli (Forlì-Cesena) and managed by the Alessandri sisters. Perla serves as CEO, Margherita oversees production, and Antonia handles communications. Grey Mer has been a manufacturing partner of the French luxury house for over a decade. “Faced with the need to secure its production capacity, Chanel has decided”, the French brand states, “to invest more actively alongside this trusted partner to write a new chapter in its history”.
Chanel acquires a majority stake in Grey Mer
Chanel, which recently acquired a 20% stake in Leo France, is strengthening its Italian supply chain with a new investment. The brand’s previous operation saw it increase its stake to 100% in the Friulian leather goods company Mabi International. Now, its latest move takes place in Emilia-Romagna with Grey Mer. According to MF Fashion, Chanel has acquired 70% of the company’s shares. When contacted, the Romagna-based company declined to comment.
In its latest available financial year, 2023, Grey Mer reported a turnover of approximately EUR 34 million. By the end of 2023, the footwear manufacturer employed over 100 people. Around two-thirds of its production is dedicated to external luxury brands, while the remaining third serves Alevì (a brand controlled by Valentina Micchetti and Perla Alessandri) and 3Juin, the family-run label launched on 3rd June 2020.
Official confirmation
After investing in Lombardy (Roveda), Abruzzo (Gensi), and Veneto (Ballin), Chanel continues to expand its presence in Italian footwear manufacturing, marking its first acquisition in Emilia-Romagna. The luxury house has confirmed the transaction. “The two companies have been collaborating for 13 years, producing footwear for collections designed by Chanel Studio”, reads the official statement reported by MF Fashion. Chanel’s Italian supply chain investments extend beyond footwear, covering leather goods, textiles, and the tanning industry.
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