Kanuk Changes Hands | Financial Contribution

A group of investors led by Bertrand Cesvet has become the majority shareholder of the Quebec brand, with the aim of growing the brand locally and expanding its presence outside Canada.

MONTREAL – Kanuk, the outerwear brand based on Rue Rachel in Montreal, today announces its acquisition by a group of investors led by Bertrand Cesvet. With over 30 years of experience building brands, most notably with Sid Lee, Mr. Cesvet aims to bring Kanuk to Canadian and international markets through a focus on creativity.

Article content

“I have spent my professional career building and promoting brands internationally. As an active investor, I am now deploying my capital and expertise to the benefit of brands like Psycho Bunny and now Kanuk, which I believe have the potential to grow quickly both in Canada and abroad,” said Bertrand Cesvet. “In my opinion, innovation and especially creativity are the main drivers of value creation for brands. I believe that my experiences at Sid Lee and more recently at Psycho Bunny will definitely be beneficial to the relaunch of Kanuk. I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead!” he added.

As CEO, Mr. Cesvet helped build Sid Lee into one of the most award-winning commercial creative agencies in the world. In particular, he led the repositioning of several well-known brands, including Adidas, Absolut Vodka, Cirque du Soleil and many others. After leaving Sid Lee, he became a shareholder and chief creative executive of Quebec clothing retailer Psycho Bunny. Since arriving two years ago, Psycho Bunny has doubled its sales. The brand operates more than 130 stores across North America, as well as in Japan and Dubai.

Mr. Cesvet will serve as Chief Creative Executive for both Psycho Bunny and Kanuk. He also intends to leverage the experience and some business services available to Psycho Bunny to benefit the Rue Rachel brand. To grow Kanuk, Mr. Cesvet plans to expand the existing product range to offer clothing suitable for all four seasons and the changing climate in Quebec and elsewhere. Mr. Cesvet believes Quebec is well positioned to understand and meet customers’ needs.

Since 2015, Kanuk has been wholly owned by Corporation Financière Champlain, a private investment company based in Montreal. By working with the new group of shareholders, the company remains involved in the brand.

“We are very pleased that Bertrand Cesvet is taking control and management of Kanuk,” said Pierre Simard, CEO of Corporation Financière Champlain. “He has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to grow brands. His expertise is recognized and Kanuk’s future appears brighter than ever.”

About Kanuk

Kanuk has been designing and manufacturing outerwear for almost 50 years in a small factory in the heart of Montreal. Our designs are carefully crafted to adapt to the environment and withstand extreme conditions. Thanks to the enduring quality of our clothing, our styles of today and yesterday blend harmoniously in Montreal, where they were born. More information at https://www.kanuk.com/en_ca/