Khrisjoy, Simonetta Sign Childrenswear Licensing Agreement
MILAN — High-end puffer-maker Khrisjoy has signed a multiyear licensing agreement with Italian manufacturing company Simonetta for the development, production and worldwide distribution of the Khrisjoy Kids line, starting from the fall 2023 collection.
Khrisjoy Kids will include baby and junior lines for both boys and girls, to be distributed in a selection of multibrand retailers as well as department stores worldwide. The collection is expected to offer a mini-me version of the label’s signature puffer jackets, which are known for their oversize fit, bright and vibrant color palette, as well as logo drawstrings.
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The childrenswear deal was teased last month by Khrisjoy’s cofounder and managing director Maurizio Purificato, who shared with WWD the company’s plans to expand its global reach, product offer and digital capabilities, all propelled by the support of Alsara Investment Group, which took a majority stake in the Italian label last year. That is an international private investment company founded by Rachid Mohamed Rachid, chairman of Valentino and chief executive officer of the brand’s parent company Mayhoola.
Khrisjoy’s cofounder and creative director Marzia Belotti confirmed that expanding the range with a kids collection was natural choice. After a mini-me collection produced in-house garnered positive feedback from buyers, the company decided to further delve into the category.
Simonetta Group’s CEO Niccolò Matteo Monicelli defined the deal a “challenge that enables us to work for the first time with a single-product brand that is highly recognizable, eclectic and innovative, also in terms of sustainability.”
Established in 2017, Khrisjoy was first introduced as a capsule at Antonia. (Purificato is also cofounder of the luxury Milan-based multibrand store.) The label launched with a women’s offering, which attracted a cult following thanks to its Khris cocooning hooded puffer jacket. Still the bestseller, today the style accounts for 30 percent of sales even as the range expanded to include other cuts — from cropped to sleeveless versions — rendered in different materials, from nylon to tweed and faux leather, in shiny or matte finishes, solid or printed.
Product-wise, further developments will include lightweight alternatives to extend the brand’s reach into warmer months and a heightened focus on menswear, which was introduced last year. Knitwear is to be added starting from the fall 2023 collection, while a ski capsule is in the pipeline, too.
Founded in the 1950s in Jesi, in Italy’s Marche region, Simonetta is among the market leaders in the high-end childrenswear industry. Along with operating its namesake brand, the company manufactures and distributes under license the kids’ collections of Lanvin, Emilio Pucci, Balmain, Elie Saab and Stella McCartney, among others. Earlier this year, Missoni also added to the rich portfolio.
Simonetta set up a department to manage the licensed brands in 2000, when it started collaborations with the likes of Roberto Cavalli and Tod’s for the Roberto Cavalli Junior and Fay Junior brands, respectively. Ten years later, it began its partnership with LVMH Mo?t Hennessy Louis Vuitton that in 2016 evolved into a license production agreement for Fendi kids and baby collections.
In June 2017, Simonetta was acquired by Italian textile and fashion manufacturer Isa Seta SpA, which is under the Carisma group’s umbrella.
