Zalando takes control of Highsnobiety

Zalando says the two companies will join forces to lead the way in engaging and inspiring customers, leveraging each other’s complementary strengths by bringing together Highsnobiety’s cultural relevance and insight, fashion authority and storytelling expertise with Zalando’s fashion network, e-commerce know-how and operational capabilities.

While continuing independent operations, Highsnobiety will act as a strategic and creative consultant helping Zalando develop new inspiration-focused spaces and formats on its platform. In turn, joining the Zalando Group allows Highsnobiety to leverage Zalando’s expertise and resources to fuel its own e-commerce capabilities.

Highsnobiety was founded in Berlin in 2005 by David Fischer as a blog that heralded the convergence of streetwear and high-end luxury fashion. Today, Highsnobiety comprises a publishing arm, creative consultancy, and a curated commerce platform. Teaming up with Highsnobiety will accelerate Zalando’s ambition to be a top destination for streetwear, new luxury, and fashion inspiration, especially for the younger, fashion-forward consumers.

“Both of our companies share a passion for building strong brand partnerships and enabling brands to inspire audiences with their products and stories. Partnering with Highsnobiety will allow us to execute much faster on our ambition to offer the most relevant and engaging – as well as convenient – shopping experience to our customers,” says David Schneider, Zalando’s founder and co-CEO.

As part of the deal, Highsnobiety will retain its editorial and curational autonomy, with the publishing and agency work remaining fully independent. Highsnobiety will continue to be led by its two managing directors, Fischer and Jürgen Hopfgartner, and Fischer will retain a minority stake in the business.

Last month, co-CEO of Zalando Robert Gentz said the company remains confident it will achieve its ambition to reach more than EUR30bn (US$31.8bn) Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) by 2025, despite the impact of macroeconomic factors in the first quarter.