Viktor & Rolf And Italian Group OTB Extend Their Strategic Alliance For 5 Years

Viktor & Rolf - which turned 30 in 2023 - and the Italian group OTB (Only The Brave) are continuing their alliance by renewing their contract for the next five years. OTB, owned by Italian entrepreneur Renzo Rosso, released the news in a press release on Monday.

In 2019, the Italian group, which includes Margiela, Diesel and Marni, among others, had acquired a majority stake in the Dutch haute couture brand. The Group had become the majority shareholder with 70% of the shares, while the two Dutch designers, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, held 30%.

Viktor and Rolf founded their brand in 1993 and joined the OTB holding company in 2008. Eclectic and innovative, the design duo have always been attracted to collaborations with other fashion players: for example, capsule collections with lingerie house Aubade or fast-fashion giant H&M.

In addition to haute-couture, the brand also benefits from its long-standing partnership with L'Oréal for the exploitation of its fragrance license with the iconic Flowerbomb, launched in 2005, then declined for men under the name Spicebomb in 2012. As part of the cosmetics giant's luxury division, the brand operates alongside Valentino, Prada and Maison Margiela fragrances.

Renewing the contract for a further five years with a solid group like OTB is a way for Viktor & Rolf to continue to innovate and explore the art of couture without creative limits. While figures for 2024 have not yet been released by the group, we note that in 2023, OTB achieved sales of 1.9 billion euros, up 7.2% on the previous year. In the same year, good performances were achieved by all the holding company's brands and almost in all geographic regions, particularly in Asia, where sales rose by a remarkable 74% at constant exchange rates. Japan alone accounted for 23% of total Group revenues.

The group has the wind in its sails but has shown itself to be cautious in the face of the upheavals experienced by the luxury goods sector: last year, OTB confirmed its intention to go public at the beginning of 2025, but the project was finally postponed to 2026 by Renzo Rosso, due to the difficult economic context.

With 610 points of sale worldwide, Renzo Rosso is now focusing on diversifying its activities. The company has increased its investments exponentially, evolving in a single year from 81 million to 201 million euros. Today, OTB invests in real estate, luxury hotels and sports. Renzo Rosso - very active in promoting “made in Italy” - is multiplying store openings and changes within his brands. In 2023, Maison Margiela alone inaugurated 24 new boutiques, including in Venice, Shanghai and Los Angeles.