Overview
LVMH Luxury Ventures, an investment arm of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE aimed at taking minority stakes in emerging, iconic luxury brands, has made an equity investment in renowned horology authority HODINKEE. Other investors in the $40 million financing round include TCG (an affiliate of The Chernin Group), True Ventures, Future Shape, GV (formerly, Google Ventures), as well as six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and seven-time Grammy winner John Mayer.
Founded by Benjamin Clymer in 2008 as a watch blog for aficionados, HODINKEE (a play on the Czech and Slovak word for wristwatch) has since become the foremost authority on all things watches – with HODINKEE magazine, HODINKEE Radio and Grey NATO podcasts, the HODINKEE retail platform, and timepiece protection with HODINKEE Insurance – and was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies in Media” in 2019.
Barack Ferrazzano served as lead counsel to LVMH Luxury Ventures. Barack Ferrazzano’s team was led by Corporate & Securities Group chair Daniel L. Dominguez and attorney Kait E. Kelly, with Intellectual Property Group co-chair Scott J. Slavick providing IP counseling, and Tax & Business Planning Group co-chair Michael J. Towne and attorney Megan E. Toal providing guidance with respect to the tax aspects of the transaction.
To read more about this deal, visit:
- https://www.wsj.com/articles/hodinkee-40-million-investment-lvmh-11606912900
- https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/weve-hired-a-great-new-ceo-heres-why-and-whats-next
- https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201202005764/en/HODINKEE-Announces-Series-B-Financing-Led-by-TCG-Former-Mr.-Porter-Managing-Director-Toby-Bateman-Named-CEO-and-Tony-Fadell-Joins-Board
- https://thehustle.co/12042020-hodinkee-watches/
