Empresas y finanzas

Hilco Consumer Capital, LLC and The Weinstein Co. Acquire Legendary Fashion House, Halston



    Hilco Consumer Capital, LLC ("HCC") and The Weinstein Co. ("TWC")
    have partnered to acquire Halston, one of the most prolific fashion
    names worldwide. Throughout its history, Halston has launched some of
    the most influential fashion trends and inspired some of the most
    iconic names in fashion. The investor group plans to revitalize the
    brand, which is best known for dressing the international jet set
    during the 1960s and 1970s. Among fashion industry leaders who will
    help to structure management and provide creative direction for the
    brand is Tamara Mellon, Founder and President of Jimmy Choo(R)
    Limited. She has been named to the Halston Company's board of
    directors.

    The announcement was made today by James "Jamie" Salter, CEO of
    HCC, Jeffrey B. Hecktman, Chairman and CEO of Hilco Trading, LLC, the
    parent company of HCC, and Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of The
    Weinstein Company.

    HCC, a private equity firm, leads the investor group. The company
    specializes in building brand management enterprises through the
    acquisition of retail and wholesale consumer brands. The Halston brand
    and other assets were acquired from Neema Clothing Ltd., whose founder
    and principal shareholder is James J. Ammeen.

    HCC management will temporarily oversee day-to-day operations of
    the newly formed Halston Company while a management team of leading
    industry professionals is being interviewed and hired. Mr. Salter will
    oversee the partnership on behalf of HCC and John Semel, Senior Vice
    President of Business Development, will oversee on behalf of TWC.

    A board of directors has been formed, which includes Mr. Salter,
    Mr. Hecktman, Mr. Weinstein, Mr. Semel, Ms. Mellon and Mr. Ammeen. The
    investment group is also in the process of assembling an advisory
    board of leading business and fashion figures, which will be charged
    with quickly putting in place a world-class CEO, lead designer and
    creative team.

    "We are very excited about the opportunity to bring back one of
    the truly great names in fashion," said Jeffrey Hecktman and Jamie
    Salter, in a jointly issued statement. "Halston was once an
    international fashion superstar. We plan to rebuild the brand to its
    former stature, and beyond, through the talents and efforts of an
    elite business management team that includes the incredible creativity
    and marketing prowess of Bob and Harvey Weinstein."

    "Two years ago, when my brother and I started TWC, one key
    component we were talking to the investors about was finding a name
    brand to acquire to diversify our company, just like Arnon Milchan did
    with Regency and Puma. As soon as Tamara Mellon brought this deal to
    me, I knew that Halston would be the perfect fit for TWC," said Harvey
    Weinstein. "Our company has already had tremendous success turning the
    hit fashion show, Project Runway, into a global brand and we see the
    same potential with Halston. We are thrilled to be joining this group
    of investors and advisors to help reinvent one of the greatest brands
    in fashion history. We believe this innovative partnership furthers
    the natural connection between the adjacent worlds of entertainment
    and fashion."

    Tamara Mellon stated, "Halston is one of the truly iconic brands
    of the last century. I have long believed that the glamour, elegance
    and timeless modernity of the clothes he created are as relevant today
    as they were when he stood at the epicenter of the fashion world
    thirty years ago. I am excited to be part of a team that hopes to
    bring the brand back for a new generation."

    Joe Ravitch, managing director of investment banking for Goldman
    Sachs, and a financial advisor to TWC stated, "When Bob and Harvey
    created their new company they were very clear that they were going to
    identify and build a brand that could be deployed across all of their
    content. They have done exactly what they promised in a smart deal
    with great partners."

    The Halston acquisition adds to HHC's portfolio, which includes
    recently acquired CJ Apparel Group and the Caribbean Joe(R) brand.
    TWC's diversified interests already include the home video company
    Genius Products(R), LLC, the private online community, aSmallWorld(R),
    the Emmy nominated fashion television hit, Project Runway(R), as well
    as being investors in the independent cable channel, Ovation(R).

    About Hilco Consumer Capital, LLC

    Hilco Consumer Capital ("HCC") was formed in 2006 to make private
    equity investments in prominent consumer brands and build significant,
    additional value in them through innovative product development,
    creative marketing and licensing strategies. HCC is a unit of The
    Hilco Organization, an international leader in business and business
    asset acquisitions, asset monetization, asset valuation and
    specialized corporate finance services. Headquartered near Chicago,
    Hilco is a privately-owned platform of 21 operating units, each with
    its own principals and management team. Under the leadership of
    Jeffrey B. Hecktman, Chairman and CEO, Hilco has grown to employ
    nearly 500 people in North America and the European Union.

    About The Weinstein Company

    The Weinstein Company (TWC) was created by Bob and Harvey
    Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films Corporation in 1979.
    TWC is a multi-media company that officially launched on October 1,
    2005. Dimension Films, the genre label that was founded in 1993 by Bob
    Weinstein, is also included under the TWC banner.

    Since launching on October 1, 2005, The Weinstein Company has made
    several investments in diverse companies including a 70% ownership in
    the home video company Genius, aSmallWorld.net, the exclusive social
    networking Web site, and Ovation TV, the cable channel devoted
    exclusively to art-related programming, as well as launched Weinstein
    Books, which will be distributed by Hachette Book Group.

    Upcoming Weinstein Company films to be domestically distributed in
    theaters by MGM include "The Ex" starring Amanda Peet and Zach Braff;
    "The Nanny Diaries," based on the NY Times No. 1 best-selling
    satirical comedy, starring Scarlett Johansson and Paul Giamatti; Rob
    Zombie's reinvention of "Halloween" starring Malcolm McDowell and Brad
    Dourif; and "1408" adapted from the terrifying short story by suspense
    master Stephen King starring John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, and Mary
    McCormack.

    Other upcoming films to be released by The Weinstein Company and
    Dimension Films include: "Grindhouse," a groundbreaking film that
    unites two of the world's most legendary filmmakers Quentin Tarantino
    and Robert Rodriguez; the romantic comedy "Dedication" starring Billy
    Crudup and Mandy Moore; the heartfelt drama "Grace Is Gone" starring
    John Cusack; and Wong Kar Wai's "My Blueberry Nights" starring Norah
    Jones.

    During the Weinsteins' tenure at Miramax Films the company
    released some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially
    successful independent feature films, which received 249 Academy
    Award(R) nominations and won 60 Oscars(R).