United Arab Emirates, Dubai: Chalhoub Group joins forces with Willy Chavarria, the acclaimed New York-based fashion brand celebrated for its bold aesthetic and inclusive cultural voice, and announces a strategic minority investment from leading partner and creator of luxury experiences in the Middle East, Chalhoub Group, and disruptive creative brand incubator FAE Fashion Ventures. The partnership marks a pivotal step in the brand’s global growth, bringing together a trifecta of retail expertise, creative innovation, and cultural relevance.

As part of its strategic ambition, Chalhoub Group supports rising luxury brands through venture capital as well as larger mergers and acquisitions, with a particular focus on fragrance, leather goods, footwear, and homeware. This investment underscores the Group’s commitment to backing scalable, high-potential brands with strong cultural relevance and visionary leadership. In the case of Willy Chavarria, we believe his cultural resonance and unique blend of experience in fashion, inclusive identity, and humanity will enable the brand to connect across diverse client segments and cultural moments, and we look forward to supporting the company as it expands internationally. With more than 70 years of experience in luxury retail and brand building across the Middle East and beyond, Chalhoub Group will bring deep expertise in market expansion, distribution, and value creation to support Willy Chavarria’s global acceleration.

Co-founded in 2015 by Willy Chavarria and David Ramirez, the brand has evolved into one of fashion’s most authentic voices, blending bold tailoring with socially conscious narratives and cultural symbolism. The brand made its official Paris Fashion Week debut in January 2025 and has positioned itself at the forefront of next-generation luxury.

A Partnership Built on Shared Values and Global Vision
The investment brings together Chalhoub Group, the Middle East’s leading luxury experiences curator with over 70 years of retail and distribution expertise, and FAE Fashion Ventures, the brand-building vehicle founded by Sarah Stennett and David Grinberg.

This partnership not only enhances the brand’s global retail presence but also solidifies its mission to create fashion that delivers both cultural commentary and commercial appeal. It will also enable expansion into key markets such as Europe and Asia, support a suite of new creative projects, and help realise the long-term vision of CEO and Creative Director Willy Chavarria.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chalhoub Group onto the board of Willy Chavarria to add their expertise in scaling growth businesses. The fusion of retail, brand experience, and cultural expression across all areas of the arts will establish a blueprint for future-facing fashion brands,” said Sarah Stennett, Co-Founder of FAE Fashion Ventures.

A Platform for Creativity and Impact

Since the brand's partnership with FAE Group, beginning in Spring/Summer 2024, Willy Chavarria has more than tripled its number of wholesale doors, secured partnerships with leading retailers, and launched high-impact collaborations with Adidas, Don Julio, and Tinder.

“Willy Chavarria is a designer who represents the evolving face of luxury, rooted in culture, identity, and community. Our partnership is grounded in a shared ambition to support brands with strong values and distinctive voices. We believe Willy’s creative vision and powerful storytelling are reshaping the fashion landscape globally,” said Zahra Kassim-Lakha, Chief Investment Officer, Chalhoub Group.

Willy Chavarria’s global impact and creative vision were further celebrated in June 2025 when he was honoured by Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) as Men’s Designer of the Year at the prestigious WWD Honors. This accolade underscores the brand’s ability to merge bold design with cultural storytelling, reinforcing the strength of Chalhoub Group’s investment and the shared ambition to elevate Willy Chavarria on the international stage.

Joining Chalhoub Group and FAE Fashion Ventures is Webster Capital and its founder, Tony Olson.  “Willy Chavarria resonates with our Experience-Memory-Emotion (EME) investment vertical, in that his message and brand are rewriting cultural narratives.  We are thrilled to partner with Chalhoub Group and FAE Fashion Ventures on this exciting opportunity”. As Chalhoub Group deepens its strategic pivot into brand ownership and investment, this move aligns with its Vision 2033 to be an international luxury brand builder, bridging cultures and inspiring dreams.

ABOUT CHALHOUB GROUP:

INSPIRE | EXHILARATE | DELIGHT

For over seven decades, Chalhoub Group has been a partner and creator of luxury experiences in the Middle East. In its pursuit to excel as a hybrid luxury retailer, the Group has curated a portfolio of over 10 owned brands and strengthened its distribution and marketing expertise for over 400 international names across luxury fashion, beauty, jewellery, watches, eyewear, and art de vivre categories.

Every step at Chalhoub Group is taken to build a future where luxury dreams become reality — bridging cultures and crafting memorable experiences for our consumers. Be it by constantly reinventing itself, committing to innovation, or embracing new technologies, the Group is shaping the future of luxury retail. It delivers seamless omnichannel experiences across more than 950 stores, online platforms, and mobile apps. Driving this innovation journey is The Greenhouse — the Group’s innovation hub, incubator, and accelerator for startups and emerging businesses, regionally and globally.

Chalhoub Group fosters a people-at-heart culture rooted in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and a workplace catalysed by forward thinking and future-proofing. Today, it brings together over 16,000 talented professionals across eight countries in the Middle East, with a presence in LATAM. Their collective efforts have earned the Group the Great Place to Work® certification in several markets.

Sustainability is at the core of the Group’s strategy, guided by a clear commitment to people, partners, and the planet. Chalhoub Group is proud to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact, a signatory of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, and to have pledged to reach Net Zero by 2040.

FOR MORE INFORMATION 
www.chalhoubgroup.com

FOLLOW US ON 
@ChalhoubGroup

CONTACT 
Rani Ilmi
CEO 
rani@framepublicity.com