Skip to main content
BoF Logo

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

The Business of Fashion
Luxury

The Independents Launches Incubator

Paris-based spatial and lighting design firm Matière Noire is the first company to join the program.
The Independents and Alexandre de Betak
The Independents and Alexandre de Betak (Photo credit Saskia Lawaks)
By

Fashion communications giant The Independents — which owns Karla Otto and Bureau Betak, and plans to add to its existing portfolio of 17 specialist firms — is launching an incubator conceived to “identify, support and accelerate the next wave of talent, entrepreneurs and creative agencies,” and bring fresh perspectives to the group’s clients.

Paris-based spatial and lighting design firm Matière Noire — which worked on today’s Courrèges show and has partnered with Hermès and James Turrell — is the first to join the program, dubbed L’Incubateur.

“More than just financial support, it is a great opportunity for the agency teams and the selected projects to interact, spark ideas and evolve in ways that we can’t even predict,” said Alexandre de Betak, founder of Bureau Betak and creative chairman of The Independents.

Learn more:

ADVERTISEMENT

Lucien Pagès Joins The Independents

The agency founded by Paris public relations star Lucien Pagès is being acquired by the fashion communications giant that owns Karla Otto, Bureau Betak and more.

About the author
Simone Stern Carbone
Simone Stern Carbone

Simone Stern Carbone is Luxury Correspondent at the Business of Fashion. She is based in Zurich and Paris and covers fashion and beauty, with a focus on the dynamic luxury sector.

In This Article
Topics

© 2026 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Luxury
How rapid change is reshaping the tradition-soaked luxury sector in Europe and beyond.

Swatch Group vs Morgan Stanley: It’s Time for Transparency

After Swatch Group launched an attack on Morgan Stanley’s influential annual watch report, Swatch-owned Tissot cracks open the door for a glimpse at some numbers and Robin Swithinbank says it’s time a secretive industry came clean on financials.

Is Armani Any Closer to a Stake Sale?

Half a year after Giorgio Armani’s death, it appears to be business as usual at the sprawling fashion empire while potential investors continue to circle with no firm bid in sight.

view more
Latest News & Analysis
Unrivalled, world class journalism across fashion, luxury and beauty industries.

Estée Lauder’s Surprise Acquisition, Explained

The American cosmetic giant’s buyout of Ayurvedic beauty line Forest Essentials came as a surprise. By picking an under-the-radar brand it knows well, the company can show that it’s still in the M&A game without needing to outbid rivals.

VIEW MORE

The Business of Fashion

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON
© 2026 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy and Accessibility Statement.