Fashion TV Brands Merge

NEW YORK: Fashion One Television, whose channel brands are available to some 400 million homes on five continents, is acquiring the U.K.-based Fashion Television International.

Fashion Television International manages the Fashion Television brand outside of its native Canada. It is being acquired by Fashion One from Madrid-based Desdemona Capital for an undisclosed sum. The merged company will consolidate Fashion One's F.O. channel and Fashion Television's content under a single Fashion Television brand in Europe. The F.O. brand will be phased out in Europe after a transition period, with the rebrand set to be complete by Q2 2016. Desdemona Capital will remain a shareholder in the new combined company. The combined company will also be the new owner of Fashion 4K.

"Fashion Television is recognized as the leading authority on fashion and lifestyle since 1985, and F.O. has already brought to its viewers a substantial amount of Fashion Television's popular content," says Mick Gleissner, Fashion One's founder and president. "The acquisition of the entire brand means significant synergies for both companies, better programming and higher production value."