MILAN — Style Capital is making its first move into beauty.
The Italian private equity fund has invested in Essential Parfums, the Parisian niche fragrance house that Géraldine and Stanislas Archambault established in 2018. Although financial details of the deal were not disclosed, it is understood the fund has taken a minority stake in the brand, with the founders retaining majority ownership and continuing to lead the company.
The fund’s backing is aimed at supporting Essential Parfums in its next phase of development, with a focus on accelerating its international expansion, strengthening the brand’s existing retail and distribution platform, broadening its product offering and further enhancing its organizational capabilities.
The Essential Parfums store in Paris’ Marais.
Courtesy of Essential Parfums
“Essential Parfums marks an important step in the evolution of Style Capital,” said the fund’s founder and chief executive officer Roberta Benaglia. “This is our first investment in beauty and reflects our ambition to expand our focus beyond fashion and luxury, backing elevated brands across selected lifestyle categories where creativity, product excellence and international scalability can drive long-term value creation and a clear example of the direction in which we want to continue developing our platform.”
The fragrance house expands the fund’s existing fashion and accessories portfolio that includes the likes of MSGM, Forte_Forte, Soeur, Re/Done and Autry, among other brands.
Roberta Benaglia
Courtesy of Style Capital
Style Capital’s managing partner and chief investment officer Massimiliano Caraffa described Essential Parfums as “a founder-led, highly distinctive brand, with a unique value proposition in niche fragrances and a model that brings genuine innovation to the category.” He praised the Archambaults for having created “a transparent, responsible and accessible proposition that celebrates the artistry of leading perfumers.”
Géraldine Archambault, who serves as president of the fragrance house, believes the fund’s “support, experience and international reach will be instrumental in elevating our brand,” while cofounder and general manager Stanislas Archambault highlighted how Style Capital’s “confidence in our vision and team marks an exciting milestone and strengthens our commitment to building lasting value together.”
Stanislas and Géraldine Archambault, founders of Essential Parfums.
Courtesy of Essential Parfums
Launched with the mission to democratize access to fine perfumery while honoring the artistry of perfumers, Essential Parfums is known for offering high-quality fragrances crafted with a focus on responsible sourcing, transparency and accessible pricing, since its refillable EDPs retail on average at 94 euros for the 100-ml. size. Through the years the brand has collaborated with the world’s key noses, ranging from Sophie Labbé and Quentin Bisch to Fabrice Pellegrin and the late Olivier Pescheux, to name a few. Its distribution network comprises select retail partners and directly operated stores in Paris and Bordeaux, in addition to its own e-commerce platform.
