Private Label Apparel Designer RW Designs Acquired

Private label apparel design house Rainbow West Apparel (RW Designs) has been acquired by Platinum Equity portfolio company Hop Lun, a designer and manufacturer of undergarments and swimwear. 

Founded in 1993, RW Designs is a Los Angeles-based woman and minority-owned business co-founded by Esther Maya. The company also has experience in designing products for categories such as intimates, activewear, and loungewear.

"The RW team and I are excited to join Hop Lun,” said Maya, the company’s CEO. “We look forward to leveraging Hop Lun's vast resources and manufacturing scale throughout several countries of origin to provide even better and broader services and consistency to our customers. We are thrilled at the prospect of creating a vertical opportunity for buyers alongside a hybrid model, allowing for more flexibility with inventory needs."

Based in Hong Kong, Hop Lun employs more than 26,000 people and has manufacturing operations in Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. The company produces products for many of the world's largest global retailers as well as for its own in-house brands.

"Since we first joined forces with Platinum Equity, we have been seeking opportunities to better serve retail partners in the U.S. market," said Erik Ryd, founder and CEO of Hop. "Partnering with Esther and the RW team is an important part of that strategy. This combination will allow us to offer RW Designs' sample and design capabilities to our customers, which is a great benefit for those who want more flexibility and shorter lead times."