Oroton

Last updated

Oroton
Company type Private
ASX:  ORL
Industry Retail
Founded1938
FounderBoyd Lane
Headquarters Sydney
Key people
  • Peter Halkett (CEO)
  • Sophie Holt (creative director)
Products Luxury goods
OwnerWill Vicars
Website oroton.com

Oroton is Australia's oldest luxury fashion company founded in 1938. The company's main product category is leather bags for women and men. The company sells other products such as eyewear, accessories and small leather goods, and launched its ready-to-wear apparel line in 2019. [1] The company is based in Sydney and has close to 50 stores and concessions across Australia and Malaysia.

Contents

History

Oroton started as a private company established by Boyd Lane under the name Boyd Lane & Co Pty Ltd. [2]

Oroton revolutionised fashion in Australia in the 1950s by replacing traditional materials used for evening bags with interwoven metallic mesh - a product invented in USA by Whiting and Davis, who invented the machine to do so.› history Oroton was known for its signature mesh evening bags, today selling high-end leather bags and accessories. [3] [ non-primary source needed ] Many of the early Oroton metal mesh bags and accessories were made in West Germany. In Australia other companies such as Glomesh, Parklane and Sterling mesh using the metal mesh system created major competition with Oroton, with Oroton being the most known name Internationally.

Oroton became a public company under the name Oroton International in 1987.

In 2000, Oroton acquired the Morrissey fashion label. [4] In November 2002, Oroton International purchased the Marcs brand, founded by Mark Keighery, for $22.2 million. [5]

In 2002, the company was renamed the OrotonGroup.

In November 2006, OrotonGroup sold its brands Marcs and Morrissey to M. Webster Holdings for $6.3 million. [6]

In November 2017, Oroton announced it was entering into voluntary administration. [7]

In April 2018, the brand saw a significant increase in sales after Meghan Markle wore an Oroton crossbody bag for an official royal appearance with Prince Harry at London's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. [8]

In July 2018, the company was purchased by Will Vicars for nearly $25 million and re-instated as a private company. [9] Vicars was an Oroton board member and owned 18 per cent of the company prior to the transaction. [10] [11] David Kesby was appointed as CEO.

Sophie Holt was appointed creative director in 2018. [12] In October 2021, Jenny Child, formerly a partner at McKinsey & Company, took over as CEO. [13]

In June 2025, Peter Halkett became CEO. [14]

References

  1. "Home". oroton.com.
  2. "OROTON |". paris-miki.com.au. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  3. "Home". oroton.com.au.
  4. McInerney, Sarah (11 February 2009). "Morrissey shuts up shops". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  5. "Oroton to pay $22m for Marcs". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 November 2002. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  6. "Marcs and Morrissey set for overhaul". Ragtrader. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  7. Hyam, Rebecca (30 November 2017). "Luxury brand Oroton latest casualty of Aussie retail carnage". ABC News. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  8. Decker, Megan (19 April 2018). "Meghan Markle May Have Just Saved This Brand From Going Bankrupt". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  9. "OrotonGroup administrators back Will Vicars $25m rescue plan". Australian Financial Review. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  10. Kitney, Damon (10 March 2024). "Lessons in chemistry: Will Vicars, Jennifer Child and Sophie Holt on reviving Oroton together" . The Australian. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  11. Thomson, James (26 December 2017). "Oroton Group to be sold to fund manager Will Vicars" . Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  12. Wong, Zara (30 January 2019). "Ushering in a new era at Oroton: meet the woman reinventing the Australian label". Vogue Australia. Archived from the original on 25 December 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  13. Hui-Miller, Jo-Anne (22 July 2021). "Oroton announces new CEO, David Kesby steps down". Inside Retail Australia. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  14. Kelly, Christopher (10 June 2025). "Oroton lures Peter Halkett for CEO role". Ragtrader. Retrieved 25 November 2025.