Entrepreneur and TV pundit Gary Neville has joined the board of Norqain as the family-owned Swiss watchmaker prepares to launch in the UK.
His appointment follows the former Manchester United and England footballer taking a “significant” but undisclosed investment in the watchmaker, with Neville expected to play an active role in the business’s UK strategy, reported the Financial Times.
Drawn to the brand’s “values and innovative, sporty timepieces”, Neville said: “I’ve been following Norqain for some time now. As a challenger brand in the Swiss watch industry, Norqain is a perfect fit for me, and I’m thrilled to join Ben [Küffer, CEO] and the team as a partner in the business here in the UK and Ireland… we share the same vision and challenger spirit, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Norqain’s UK and Ireland division was set up last month and is led by MD Martyn Jenkins, who has joined the business at “a pivotal moment in its journey”.
“Norqain isn’t just another luxury watch brand, it’s a movement and a community, challenging the status quo and bringing something fresh to the market,” he told City AM.
Norqain, which was co-founded in 2018 by Swiss former professional ice hockey player Mark Streit, has a history of partnering with sporting figures including tennis player Stanislas Wawrinka, who has also invested in the brand, ice hockey player Roman Josi and skier Tina Weirather. However, Neville is the first such partner to join the board, it said.
Jenkins said Norqain raised CHF7 million (£6.13 million) two years ago in a fundraising round, which also saw watch industry veteran Jean-Claude Biver become an investor and subsequently brought in as an adviser to the board.
Norqain has grown rapidly since its launch and now produces between 10,000 and 15,000 watches a year (average sale price of around £4,000 each), growing its revenues by 28% in 2024.
In distribution terms, the brand would like to be positioned in 500 and 700 stores as opposed to the 300 stores today.
Küffer said that Norqain is targeting future growth without further rounds of fundraising. “The UK is such a big market that you need to muscle up and say, ‘I’m ready to come’,” said Küffer.
“And when you come, you have to bring some money to the game; otherwise you’re not going to get far. And I think now we’re perfectly ready for that.”
The Marseille commercial court ordered the judicial liquidation of French denim brand Kaporal on March 27, marking the end of the company’s operations. The ruling follows an 18-month management-led takeover and affects 280 employees.
Kaporal shuts down – Kaporal
As of March 28, Kaporal’s e-commerce site displays a closure message: “Permanently closed. This site is no longer active. Thank you for your trust and support. See you soon, here or somewhere else!”
The liquidation ruling definitively halts the company’s activity. At its peak, Kaporal operated over 60 stores in France. According to the local newspaper, La Provence, the court did not permit business continuation under new terms.
The ruling brings an end to the company’s short-lived recovery effort. In July 2023, three senior managers took over the brand through a court-approved restructuring plan, aiming to save 78 out of 85 stores and retain 395 of the 434 employees. Since then, the company has further scaled back, focusing on restoring its denim heritage and reconnecting with its Southern French roots.
“Since the takeover, the team worked relentlessly to revive the brand, with a renewed focus on style and the popular, warm values that define Kaporal,” the company stated in a letter shared with FashionNetwork.com.
“By returning to our denim roots and embracing bold collaborations, we reignited creative energy, clarified our brand identity, and reinforced our position in the market. We managed to modernize the offer without losing Kaporal’s authenticity—rooted in Mediterranean culture and, especially, its love for Marseille. Unfortunately, today’s economic conditions make it impossible to continue this work within the current framework.”
Kaporal had set an ambitious revenue target of €60 million, requiring sustained double-digit growth, which it ultimately failed to achieve. Although broader conditions in the French fashion retail sector have been challenging, the company has not disclosed specific reasons behind the decision to cease operations.
In the same letter, the leadership expressed gratitude to teams in France and abroad, acknowledging their commitment and resilience: “Their dedication kept the business going and drove the necessary transformation. We also want to thank our partners, suppliers, and customers for their unwavering support and trust.”
It remains unclear whether a buyer will step in to acquire Kaporal’s assets, including the brand name.
Founded in 2004 by a Marseille-based family with roots in denim manufacturing, Kaporal posted €99 million in revenue in 2022 but struggled with persistent losses, which led to its restructuring. In 2023, founder Laurent Emsellem—who led the company until 2013, following its acquisition by TowerBrook Capital Partners—made an unsuccessful attempt to repurchase the brand, proposing to retain 281 employees and 70% of the store network.
Other Marseille-based denim players, including Golden Blue, owner of Le Temps des Cerises, expressed interest in the brand. The case also drew attention from Guerrida—operator of Frishop and Tritex—and off-price chain Noz, which explored acquiring Kaporal’s stock.
In a major strategic change Dsquared2 has ended its long-time licensing agreement with Staff International, the key operating company of Italian fashion billionaire Renzo Rosso. Who, in turn, has already sued the designers in response.
Dean & Dan Caten, by Giampaolo Sgura
However, six hours after DSquared2 announced the termination of its long-time licensing agreement with Staff International, the licensor sued the fashion house for breach of contract. The conflicting statements suggest that this issue looks like becoming a major court battle pitting one of Italy’s largest fashion empires and one of Milan’s hottest runway brands.
“Dsquared2 Group announces the immediate termination of its licensing agreement with Staff International S.p.A. Consequently, the Group will assume direct control over the production and distribution of its Ready-to-Wear collections,” the Milan-based house said in a terse release Saturday.
“This transition takes effect immediately and will commence with the upcoming Pre-Collection Spring/Summer 2026 sales campaign,” added Dsquared2, which was founded by twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten over three decades ago.
Staff International is the key production wing of Only The Brave, the holding company of Rosso, which also owns Diesel, Marni, Maison Margiela and Jil Sander, as well as the manufauring license of Viktor&Rolf.
“Dsquared2 Group expresses its sincere gratitude to all those who have contributed to this collaboration and looks forward to fostering continued partnerships in the future,” the release added.
However, later Saturday, Rosso’s group responded forcefully: “Staff International reiterates its conviction that the license agreement is fully effective and confirms its intention to fully execute it until its natural expiry. Therefore, the company firmly rejects any possibility of early termination of the contractual relationship, and believes that legal conditions for early termination do not exist.”
“Staff International will continue to act with the utmost transparency and determination to protect its rights, honour its contractual commitments and safeguard its reputation, and reserves the right to take any further action,” it added.
The agreement – which is said to last 25 years, with Staff International dates back to 2002, and helped fuel the spectacular development of Dsquared2, the last runway brand in Milan to have grown into a major global fashion brand.
Born in Willowdale, Ontario, Dean and Dan Caten (Catenacci, originally) began their career path in fashion by moving to New York in 1983 to attend Parson’s School of Design. In 1991 they arrived in Italy where in 1994, after numerous collaborations with major fashion houses, they first staged their debut runway collection. It marked the first in a long line of runway extravaganzas that would capture the attention of journalists and buyers for their unique brand of fashion, music and theatre.
The Catens went on to build a multi-million dollar business. And to dress everyone from Madonna in her iconic western video clip, “Don’t Tell Me”, to Beyoncé for her Super Bowl performance. The duo also has an impressive range, all the way to dressing the four-time English Premiership Champions, Manchester City. And a great HQ, a former electric energy headquarters converted into office, show-space, inn, gym and rooftop restaurant with swimming pool. They have become one of the city’s great fashion institutions without ever losing the DNA of the Wild North. And famed for their ovations, where they take their bow in matching outfits – whether disco dragoons, Klondike trappers or matinee idols.
Leave it to the Canadian duo to stage an epic 30th anniversary show in Milan this past season, the cast marching out of a wrecked brick garage, or arriving in a series of mighty wheels. From armored personnel carriers and Ford Mustang convertibles to an all-silver DeLorean and a vintage Rolls Royce – all took turns arriving in the huge warehouse done up like a nightclub.
All of the Caten’s great archetypes got an outing. Mad saucy trapper girls in giant puffers and lots of legs; a trio of rockers with Kiss goth makeup but in three-piece suits; Klondike gold diggers off to an all-night rave; sexy vampy rock goddesses with bumster leather pants and fur coats with trains; and a beautiful black rodeo gal with mini cocktail made of bands of Western belts. Leading to the arrival with sirens of NYC police car, from which emerged a dominatrix leather police captain played by Brigitte Nielsen escorted two white collar criminals. You guessed it – Dean and Dan. Before, amid huge roars, JT and Doechii took the floor in a call and response duet surrounded by the entire cast.
Renzo Rosso’s fashion holding company OTB suffered a setback in 2024, seeing revenues fall 4.4 percent at constant exchange rates to 1.8 billion euros, recording EBITDA of 276 million euros and EBIT of 44 million euros. Retail (+7.4 percent), Japan (+16.3 percent) and North America (+13.3 percent) held up. Among the brands in the portfolio, Maison Margiela (+4.6 percent) and Diesel (+3.2 percent) performed positively.
In the past fiscal year, the Vicenza-based company sustained investments of 77 million euros, with a focus on the expansion of the retail network and major innovation projects.
The possible departure of DSqyared2 will be seen as a setback for Rosso, who has long praised the brand as a dynamic creative force. Like every season, Rosso sat front row at the 30thanniversary show in Milan on February 25th.
“Staff International will continue to act with the utmost transparency and determination to protect its rights, honour its contractual commitments and safeguard its reputation, and reserves the right to take any further action,” read the last paragraph in Rosso’s company statement.
In a major strategic change Dsquared2 has ended its long-time licensing agreement with Staff International, the key operating company of Italian fashion billionaire Renzo Rosso.
Dean & Dan Caten, by Giampaolo Sgura
“Dsquared2 Group announces the immediate termination of its licensing agreement with Staff International S.p.A. Consequently, the Group will assume direct control over the production and distribution of its Ready-to-Wear collections,” the Milan-based house said in a terse release Saturday.
“This transition takes effect immediately and will commence with the upcoming Pre-Collection Spring/Summer 2026 sales campaign,” added Dsquared2, which was founded by twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten over three decades ago.
Staff International is the key production wing of Only The Brave, the holding company of Rosso, which also owns Diesel, Marni, Maison Margiela and Jil Sander, as well as the manufauring license of Viktor&Rolf.
“Dsquared2 Group expresses its sincere gratitude to all those who have contributed to this collaboration and looks forward to fostering continued partnerships in the future,” the release added.
The agreement with Staff International dates back to 2002, and helped fuel the spectacular development of Dsquared2, the last runway brand in Milan to have grown into a major global fashion brand.
Born in Willowdale, Ontario, Dean and Dan Caten (Catenacci, originally) began their career path in fashion by moving to New York in 1983 to attend Parson’s School of Design. In 1991 they arrived in Italy where in 1994, after numerous collaborations with major fashion houses, they first staged their debut runway collection. It marked the first in a long line of runway extravaganzas that would capture the attention of journalists and buyers for their unique brand of fashion, music and theatre.
The Catens went on to build a multi-million dollar business. And to dress everyone from Madonna in her iconic western video clip, “Don’t Tell Me”, to Beyoncé for her Super Bowl performance. The duo also has an impressive range, all the way to dressing the four-time English Premiership Champions, Manchester City. And a great HQ, a former electric energy headquarters converted into office, show-space, inn, gym and rooftop restaurant with swimming pool. They have become one of the city’s great fashion institutions without every losing the DNA of the Wild North. And famed for their ovations, where they take their bow in matching outfits – whether disco dragoons, Klondike trappers or matinee idols.
Leave it to the Canadian duo to stage an epic 30th anniversary show in Milan this past season, the cast marching out of a wrecked brick garage, or arriving in a series of mighty wheels. From armored personnel carriers and Ford Mustang convertibles to an all-silver DeLorean and a vintage Rolls Royce – all took turns arriving in the huge warehouse done up like a nightclub.
All of the Caten’s great archetypes got an outing. Mad saucy trapper girls in giant puffers and lots of legs; a trio of rockers with Kiss goth makeup but in three-piece suits; Klondike gold diggers off to an all-night rave; sexy vampy rock goddesses with bumster leather pants and fur coats with trains; and a beautiful black rodeo gal with mini cocktail made of bands of Western belts. Leading to the arrival with sirens of NYC police car, from which a dominatrix leather police captain played by Brigitte Nielsen escorted two white collar criminals. You guessed it – Dean and Dan.
And amid huge roars, JT and Doechii took the floor in a call and response duet surrounded by the entire cast.
Renzo Rosso’s fashion holding company OTB suffered a setback in 2024, seeing revenues fall 4.4 percent at constant exchange rates to 1.8 billion euros, recording EBITDA of 276 million euros and EBIT of 44 million euros. Retail (+7.4 percent), Japan (+16.3 percent) and North America (+13.3 percent) held up. Among the brands in the portfolio, Maison Margiela (+4.6 percent) and Diesel (+3.2 percent) performed positively.
In the past fiscal year, the Vicenza-based company sustained investments of 77 million euros, with a focus on the expansion of the retail network and major innovation projects.
The departure of DSqyared2 will be seen as a setback for Rosso, who has long praised the brand as a dynamic creative force.
Entertainment8 years ago