D5 Capital Raises £1.2m for MyShowcase
London, 23rd February 2015: D5 Capital, the media & technology investment and M&A advisor, has raised £1.2m of equity investment for MyShowcase, the independent, European beauty network. D5 Capital coordinated the round and secured funding from 24 Haymarket group of investment professionals, who led the round, as well as private investors and MyShowcase management.
MyShowcase is a fresh and contemporary way of discovering independent beauty brands with friends at home or online. Created by Handbag.com founder Nancy Cruickshank, Telegraph beauty journalist Kate Shapland, management consultant Rodrigo Dauser and Olivier de Beau de Lomenie, creator of the Ocado technology platform. MyShowcase is a direct selling ‘houseparty’ company that mentors and supports its ‘Stylists’ in selling its curated range of independent beauty brands and developing their own teams of distributors. MyShowcase has developed a best of breed technology and knowhow platform to manage direct and online sales.
To date, MyShowcase has built a network of over 300 Stylists across the UK and is working with over 30 independent manufacturers of quality beauty and hair care products. The company is headquartered in London and will deploy the capital in expanding the Stylist network throughout the UK and driving sales growth.
Commenting on the funding round, Rupert Ashe, CEO of D5 Capital, said:
“MyShowcase is a great example of how to harness the resources of female entrepreneurs. The business is innovative, scalable and led by a top quality management team, so it is no surprise that we were able to attract a leading investment group such as 24 Haymarket. MyShowcase is definitely one to watch in the next few years, as they expand throughout the UK and into continental Europe.”