Brands
Virat Kohli launches One8 brand for athleisure wear
MUMBAI: Cricketer Virat Kohli has unveiled his own brand One8 – a collection of athleisure wear in collaboration with PUMA, which will provide design, product, retail and communication channels for the brand. The launch of his brand is backed by the movement Come Out and Play, which aims to bring about a groundswell invoking Indians to adopt an active lifestyle, where playing is an integral part.
The name of the collection, One8, is derived from Virat’s jersey number, 18 – a number that is special to him and which he holds in high regard. The One8 logo is unique, quirky and stylish – reflective of Virat’s persona. While the One8 line currently comprises only athleisure apparel, others like performance apparel, footwear and accessories will be introduced in the upcoming season.
Virat Kohli says, “The One8 range is very close to my heart. It is my way of calling out to Indians to Come Out and Play, because feeling fit and looking active is a simple first step towards leading a more active lifestyle. The collection is very versatile and is a mix of fashion and functionality. I have been deeply invested in the design and ideation behind the products, with PUMA designers even browsing through my wardrobe for inspiration! Partnering with PUMA to create One8 is also great because the brand is such a fit with my personality and will ensure that One8 is constantly evolving.”
PUMA India managing director Abhishek Ganguly adds, “The One8 collection is the perfect blend of style and sport– for every person looking to easily transition from work to play. It reflects Virat’s effortless style, while staying true to his philosophy of an active lifestyle. We are excited to collaborate with him to launch his new brand, and drive this movement with him. Through this collaboration, PUMA will continue to create opportunities to inspire Indians to adopt fitness and sports in everyday life.”
Virat’s exclusive One8 collection is available at PUMA stores across the country and on in.puma.com. One8 will also be available on Myntra later in November 2017.
Brands
UK’s OnlyFans seeks US investor at $3bn valuation after owner’s death
The adult video platform is seeking stability after the death of its billionaire owner
LONDON: OnlyFans is looking for a new partner. The London-based adult video platform is in advanced talks to sell a minority stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, in a deal that would value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).
The move is driven by an urgent need for stability. Leonid Radvinsky, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned OnlyFans, died of cancer last month at the age of 43, leaving the future of one of Britain’s most profitable privately held businesses suddenly uncertain.
The choice of Architect Capital is not arbitrary. The firm has deep expertise in financial services, which aligns neatly with OnlyFans’ ambitions to offer banking products to its creators, many of whom have long struggled to access basic financial services because of the nature of their work.
The numbers behind OnlyFans are, by any measure, staggering. The platform posted revenues of $1.4bn in the year to 30th November 2024, with a pre-tax profit of $684m, up four per cent on the prior year. Payments to creators totalled $7.2bn over the same period, a rise of nearly ten per cent. Radvinsky personally collected $701m in dividends from the business in 2024 alone, on top of more than $1bn in such payments he had already received. The platform, run through its parent company Felix International, hosts 4.6m creator accounts, with performers keeping 80 per cent of subscription proceeds and the platform pocketing the remaining 20 per cent. It has 377m fan accounts in total.
The current minority stake talks represent a notable scaling back of ambitions. In January, OnlyFans was reported to be in discussions with Architect about selling a majority stake of 60 per cent. Before that, the company had explored a sale to a consortium led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Neither deal materialised.
OnlyFans has built an enormously lucrative business on content that mainstream finance has long refused to touch. Now, with its owner gone and a $3bn valuation on the table, it is looking for the kind of respectable institutional backing that might finally persuade the banks to take its calls.
