Dawson-Forté is a wholesaler and distributor of KINROSS and &Isla branded luxury cashmere & apparel

Dawson-Forté Cashmere (“Dawson-Forté”), the brand parent of KINROSS Cashmere and &Isla, is pleased to announce that the current shareholding group has sold a majority position to Tempus Partners, a consumer-focused private equity firm.

Andy Bartmess will remain Dawson-Forté’s CEO and a shareholder. In a statement, Bartmess said, “We are excited to work with Tempus Partners to accelerate the growth of our KINROSS and &Isla brands as we expand into more stores and across channels.” Mary McCann, Dawson-Forté’s SVP of Sales and Merchandising who also remains an executive and shareholder added, “I’m thrilled to work with Geoffrey and Kyle at Tempus Partners as we enter Dawson-Forté’s next chapter together. Their proven experience in successfully growing consumer brands makes them excellent partners for Dawson-Forté’s future.”

Geoffrey Champlin, Managing Partner of Tempus Partners, said, “We were drawn to Dawson-Forté because of its long history of excellence, dedication to product quality, and its passionate customer base.” Kyle White, Managing Partner of Tempus Partners, added, “We’re especially happy Dawson-Forté will continue under Andy's and Mary’s leadership as we work to expand while keeping in place what makes the KINROSS and &Isla brands so special.”

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. MMG Advisors, Inc. brokered the transaction and acted as exclusive financial advisor to the sellers. Scholhamer Business Law acted as legal advisor to the sellers; Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff acted as legal advisor to Tempus Partners.

About Dawson-Forté

KINROSS Cashmere is a luxury apparel brand with a heritage of excellence in cashmere and other fine natural fibers spanning over 150 years. KINROSS products offer effortless elegance, timeless style, and are hand-crafted to endure. &Isla is a UK-inspired luxury cashmere brand for customers seeking an easy, elevated aesthetic with a touch of the unexpected. All Dawson-Forté products are thoughtfully designed and adhere to strict production standards - from garment technical design and fiber selection through dyeing, yarn spinning, garment production, quality control, and customer service. Dawson-Forté’s brands can be found at over 600 stores across the US & UK including Mitchells, Halsbrook, Wits End, Wilkes Bashford, and Valentina. Visit our brands at kinrosscashmere.com and www.andisla.com.

About Tempus Partners

Tempus Partners invests in defensible and profitable small businesses in the Consumer Products and Consumer Manufacturing categories. They are committed to helping businesses with a strong foundation unlock their next phase of growth. Their deep industry expertise with consumer brands enables Tempus to take an active role and to immediately pursue strong, capital efficient, low risk strategies to grow sales and enhance profitability. For more, visit www.tempusep.com.

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