KVD Beauty, originally known as Kat Von D Beauty, has been acquired by Windsong Global. The beauty brand, founded by tattoo artist Kat Von D, was previously joined with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton-owned incubator Kendo. This sale would mark Kendo’s first sale of a beauty brand.
Founded in 2008, Kat Von D Beauty was recognised for its gothic makeup, with high-performance products like the tattoo liner often being bestsellers. However, it has had a shaky history. In January 2020, Kat Von D sold her shares to her parent company Kendo after following controversy surrounding her views on vaccines. After her exit, Kendo rebranded the company to KVD Vegan Beauty, the initials standing for “Kindness, Vegan Beauty + Discovery (and Doing Good)”, according to the brand’s statement. Since then, it was rebranded a second time to KVD Beauty, where the initials stood for Kara, Veritas, and Decora, Latin words that translate to Value, Truth, and Beauty.
The rebrand shifted consumer perspectives on the brand. It went from gothic makeup to a “clean girl” minimalist approach that unfortunately, did not resonate with audiences. As such, brand recognition has been dying down, although this new sale might be the change they need.
While reports do not disclose how much KVD Beauty was sold for, it is joining Windsong Global’s ever-growing brand arsenal. There are also reports that we might see another rebrand (or rather a revert) to the original ethos of KVD Beauty—cruelty-free vegan makeup that champions bold artistry. Time will tell what the future has in store for KVD Beauty.
