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The lingerie giant invested $18 million for an undisclosed minority interest in the LA-based swimwear brand, Victoria’s Secret announced on Friday.
Frankies Bikinis was founded 10 years ago by mother-daughter duo Mimi and Francesca Aiello. The self-styled luxury swimwear label — whose bikini pieces retail for upwards of $125 — has since expanded into categories such as beauty, ready-to-wear and footwear and has collaborated with streetwear brand Kith, as well as tennis star Naomi Osaka.
“[Francesca] has created an aspirational beachwear brand and trend leader in the swimwear category, with room to grow and extend into new categories and attract new customers in the direct-to-consumer channel,” said Victoria’s Secret chief executive Martin Waters, on the company’s website.
“Our investment in Frankies Bikinis is a continuation of our efforts to expand partnerships with culturally relevant brands founded by women entrepreneurs.”
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The move comes just over a year after Victoria’s Secret reintroduced swimwear to its product assortment. It discontinued the category in 2016 to focus on athleisure and lingerie.
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