American owner for Dutch jeans brand G-Star

Dutch jeans label G-Star has a new owner as American holding company WHP Global takes a majority stake. The label sees three points of focus.

Focus on online

In a joint press release, G-Star RAW and WHP say they want to achieve further global growth and expansion. The new majority shareholder also makes it clear that it is there for decades to come, and does not see in G-Star a short-term investment.

The focus will be on online (a transition that had already begun), a strengthened presence in the United States and tapping into new regions and product categories, CEO Rob Schilder says. He will continue to run the company from its Amsterdam headquarters, along with the current management team. Existing shareholders, including founder Jos van Tilburg, will also retain a stake in the brand.

Including G-Star RAW, WHP Global has a brand portfolio of more than seven billion dollars in retail sales. Its retail brands include Anne Klein, Bonobos, toy chain Toys “R “Us and Babies “R “Us. The holding company also has a ready-to-use e-commerce platform for its labels and a sourcing agency in Asia.