Sonia Rykiel Fashion House Is Sold to Hong Kong Investors PARIS - A luxury investment firm backed by a pair of Hong Kong billionaires is acquiring 80 percent of Sonia Rykiel, one of the last remaining independent fashion houses in France, the companies said Monday. The companies said Sonia Rykiel would benefit from the addition of Fung Brands" "know-how, its knowledge of the sector, and access to international markets," as they develop it into "a true global brand of international luxury." The house was founded in 1968 by Sonia Rykiel, a French designer who broke into the limelight with prêt-à-porter sporting a strong Parisian identity for the new feminine sensibility of the time. The company sells its products today in more than 30 countries, and had 2010 revenue of €90 million, or $119 million. Its line-up includes the high-end ready-to-wear Sonia Rykiel brand, a contemporary line called Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, a children's line called Rykiel Enfant, and a home furnishings line called Sonia Rykiel Maison. Jean-Marc Loubier, the former Céline and Louis Vuitton executive who is Fung Brands" chief executive, said Sonia Rykiel fit the profile of "a very strong brand with a strong identity, but outside of Europe the company could be much stronger." "Now we have to secure the second phase of the company," Mr. Loubier said, "no longer as a family company, but as a strong global, luxury brand." The Rykiel family will hold the remaining 20 percent of the company. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed and company officials declined to comment on the transaction price. Nathalie Rykiel, the founder's daughter, will hold the job of vice-chairwoman of the board. She said last month, when the companies announced that they were in negotiations, that she welcomed the arrival of the Fung investors, praising "their knowledge of the fashion sector, their industrial project and their financial strength will ensure the longevity of the brand and allow it to successfully develop in new markets respectful of its identity." Fung Brands" major investments to date consist of Robert Clergerie, a French shoe brand, and in Delvaux, a Belgian leather goods brand. The firm, based in London, is a unit of the private investment arm of the families of Victor Fung and William Fung, the Hong Kong billionaires who control the Li & Fung trading group.