Victoria Secret is investing $18million in Frankies Bikinis, one of the hottest swim brands to come on the scene in recent years. Frankies was founded in 2012 by then 17-year-old Francesca Aiello and her mother, Mimi Aiello.
“We are excited to be partnering with Francesca and the team at Frankies Bikinis,” Victoria’s Secret CEO Martin Waters said in a statement. “She 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. Our investment in Frankies Bikinis is a continuation of our efforts to expand partnerships with culturally relevant brands founded by women entrepreneurs.”
The brand has a robust DTC business driven by Francesca’s social media prowess, and we have heard from industry retailers that Frankies sells very, very well at wholesale, too–despite the higher price point. Victoria Secret, which is publicly traded, said its investment is a minority position in Frankies.