Brooks Brothers and Ballantyne’s Sweaters

Friday 17th of October 2008 03:14:51 PM

Brooks Brothers and Ballantyne’s Sweaters

The American company, Brooks Brothers, and the Scottish company, Ballantyne, have created a partnership which is sure to result in some interesting new fashion approaches. The partnership is made all the more interesting by the fact the Scottish cashmere maker has also joined forces with Massimiliano Zegna Baruffa.

The financial arrangement makes Massimiliano Zegna Baruffa majority owner of Ballantyne’s with a 55% stake. Brooks Brothers final agreement gave them a 25% interest in Ballantyne’s. The new company will be called JJ & HB 1788 Cashmere Mills. Massimiliano Zegna Baruffa will be the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed partnership company. He was quoted as saying his job will be, “to guarantee the un-matched quality of the production and expand factory production capability and customer base.”

Brooks Brothers is one of the oldest men’s clothing stores in the US and has become a virtual icon. When you say “Brooks Brothers” in the US, it means high quality and elegant men’s clothing styling. Ballantyne, the Scottish knitwear company, has been operating for over 230 years. The Chairman and Chief Executive Office of Brooks Brothers said, “Our principle is to deal only in merchandise of the finest quality and for our cashmere knitwear, which is an ever more fundamental item for our customers, we found in the partnership with Ballantyne’s and Massimiliano the ideal long term relationship.

The high priced fashion knitwear line will include a variety of cashmere pieces, including sweaters, that carry on the tradition of offering only the best to its customers. Per the terms of the agreement, Ballantyne will continue making the Scottish knitwear while Brooks Brothers will obtain the cashmere from the manufacturer. Under this strategic partnering all companies are sure to benefit. The three companies share the same goals and have the same perspectives on providing top quality products. Ballantyne is pleased it will continue to product knitwear under the Scottish brand.

Image by Bina Sveda, www.sxc.hu/