Balibaris: Experienced Capital sells its shares, a French family office joins the capital

Balibaris is relying on a new financial partner to continue on its path. Investment company Experienced Capital, which had taken a minority stake in 2016 via its ECP1 fund, has withdrawn from the capital.

The brand, co-founded in 2010 and still chaired by Paul Szczerba, which in fifteen years has become a premium men’s ready-to-wear network, has announced the arrival of a French family office to its capital, without however disclosing its name or the new balance.

At the time of Experienced Capital’s arrival, the brand had sales of 3.5 million euros and a dozen points of sale. Since then, Balibaris has become a fixture on the men’s market in France. The company, which also counted Audacia and LO Capital among its minority shareholders, had passed the €50 million sales milestone by 2023, when it counted some 80 points of sale, including a dozen corners.

“I would like to thank ECP for its contribution to the structuring of Balibaris. Their support has been decisive in increasing our reach and setting the brand on the path to success that it is today,” said founder, Paul Szczerba.

“I’m delighted to be starting this new chapter. This partnership is an exceptional opportunity to accelerate our long-term vision based on the founding values built by Balibaris.”

The brand, present in the French department store networks Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, claims to have continued its growth since 2023, notably via a 40% increase in digital sales in the last financial year, and states that it has 65 points of sale overall.

The company’s stated ambition is to consolidate its digital growth and expand into export markets, where it has four outlets in London and one in Brussels. Headed by Hortense Verspyck for the past two years, who has linked the brand to its original inspiration – classic cinema – the brand aims to attract new European customers. Several organizational elements have also evolved in recent months, with investments in e-commerce services and logistics.

The men’s brand was one of the first investments made by the fund founded by former SMCP directors Emmanuel Pradère, Frédéric Biousse and Elie Kouby.

In recent years, Experienced Capital has sold its stakes in several brands, including Jimmy Fairly, Soeur and Sessun. It retains stakes in Le Slip Français and Figaret, in the fashion sector, and in Oh My Cream and L:A Bruket, in the beauty sector. It has also invested in leisure, decoration, and catering.