Bogner, the Munich-based lifestyle and luxury fashion company, has found a new majority investor in Katjes International.
The Bogner family will sell 60 percent of its shares in Willy Bogner GmbH to Katjes International GmbH & Co. Katjes, based in Emmerich, Germany and part of the Katjes Group, which invests primarily in companies with established brands in the consumer goods sector.
The Bogner family will remain invested in Bogner for the long term with 40 percent of the company shares and will continue to be involved in the strategic direction of the company. The transaction is expected to be completed in September. It is subject to antitrust approvals. The price of the acquisition wasn’t disclosed.
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Florinda Bogner, daughter of Willy Bogner Jr., said, “We are delighted about our strong new partner. In Katjes International, we gained a family-owned company that shares our values and is committed to investing in the future of Bogner alongside us. Together, we will continue writing the success story of our richly traditional brand.”
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Tobias Bachmüller, managing shareholder of Katjes International, said, “With our success in the personal care sector — with Bübchen, Theramed and Shirin Beauty — we have proven that we can profitably develop brands outside our core business. The further development of brands in the consumer goods segment in Europe is our strength and is in line with our long-term strategy. With Bogner, we are expanding our brand portfolio into the luxury goods segment and further enhancing its value.”
Katjes International’s investment gives Bogner the opportunity to continue growing in the future with an experienced partner and with a strong capital structure. Both family-owned businesses, the partners intend to invest jointly in the expansion and further internationalization of the brand.
Arndt Geiwitz, chairman of the advisory board of Bogner, said, “Bogner has successfully transformed itself in the past few years and is now well positioned as a leading player in the lifestyle and luxury sports fashion sector. With Katjes International as a strong investor, Bogner is ideally equipped for the future.”
The company’s headquarters will remain in Munich, and Bogner will continue to operate as a legally and organizationally independent company. The company is known for its upscale sportswear and luxe snow sports attire.
Bogner posted record-breaking results for the 2023-24 fiscal year, with revenue climbing 7 percent to 187.6 million euros.
Daniel Hiendlmeier, managing director and chief brand officer of Bogner noted that Katjes’ investment is a milestone for the future of both the Bogner and Fire + Ice brands. “Katjes International shares our vision of innovation and brand management and brings a deep understanding of our identity. The partnership opens up great opportunities for the brand, our employees and partners,” he said.
Frank Wiesner, managing director and chief financial officer of Bogner, added, “The transaction strengthens our capital base and creates an excellent foundation for driving our international growth and expanding global customer relations. The move confirms the appeal of the Bogner brand and the success of our strategy in recent years.”
As reported last August, Bogner said it was looking for a partner to invest in its international expansion. The company said at the time it would part ways with its chief executive officer Gerrit Schneider, who had accepted a new post, at the end of 2024. At the time, the company said it had achieved the highest sales in its history in the last fiscal year.
Willy Bogner Jr., whose father Willy Sr. started the namesake company in 1932, is its primary owner with daughter Florinda. They serve on the company’s board, but aren’t active in its day-to-day operations.
Willy Bogner Sr., an Olympic skier, started Bogner as an import business for skis, equipment and Norwegian knitwear. The company specialized in skiwear and evolved into other areas. His wife, Maria, was credited with creating the modern skiwear look, overseeing design and serving as the company’s lead model.
Following Willy Sr.’s death in 1977, Willy Jr. and his wife Sonia, a model-turned-designer, expanded into other categories, introduced the Sônia Bogner label and the snowboard-inspired Fire + Ice brand, and opened freestanding stores. The husband-and-wife team built up and modernized the family business in the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s. In 2017, Sonia Bogner died after a long illness. Willy Jr. retired from the daily business in 2019.