Coalision Merges with French Brand Pull-in to Create $110M Lifestyle and Activewear Company

Isabelle Mille named Vice President, Retail and Marketing, Lolë and Pierre-Louis Lacoste named Vice President, Lolë Europe

LONGUEUIL, QC, April 5, 2012 /CNW/ - Coalision, the Canadian lifestyle and sports apparel company, today announced a merger with French underwear company, Pull-in. With this merger, Coalision will achieve $110M in sales for this year, positioning the company as a major international player. The company is also making important leadership announcements in Europe, North America and Latin America as part of this expansion.

Pull-in, the fashion underwear brand, will join the current roster of brands under Coalision, including Lolë, Orage and Paradox.  The Action Sport division of Coalision is now comprised of Pull-in and Orage, while the Well-Being division includes Lolë and Paradox.

"Today marks a significant milestone for Coalision for several reasons," says Bernard Mariette, President and CEO of Coalision. "Our company is strengthened in terms of brand presence, geographic synergies and its management team - all for the benefit of our customers."

He adds, "Three years ago when I joined Coalision, we had the vision of becoming a leader in the lifestyle and active sportswear industry - today I'm pleased that we have made a big step towards this goal."

For Pull-in, the merger is a strategic move in the brand's international development. "It's an honour to officially be a part of the Coalision team - our brands are complementary with obvious strengths in each of our markets," says Pull-in owner Emmanuel Loheac. "Personally, I have wanted to work with Bernard since I left DC Shoes, and today I am re-joining both a friend and a mentor."

Notwithstanding to the expansion of Coalision through this merger, the Lolë brand has doubled in sales worldwide in the past two years alone. Coalision is now well-poised with its diverse brand portfolio for continued growth on an international scale.

Management Announcements

After one year as the leader of Lolë Europe, Isabelle Mille is promoted to the new role of Vice President, Retail and Marketing, based in Montreal, and will oversee the development of the Lolë brand. She will focus on the growth of the retail platform and linkage with the strong lifestyle component of the brand.

Following Isabelle's appointment, Pierre-Louis Lacoste has been promoted to the position of Vice President, Lolë Europe. Having served as Web and Corporate Director since 2011, Mr. Lacoste succeeded in revamping the Internet platform of Lolë and increasing the sales and visibility of the brand online.

With the appointment of Ms. Mille and Mr. Lacoste in their new positions, Lolë will continue to establish itself as a leader in both the European and North American territories, with licensing being finalized for Latin America.

"More than hiring talent to run some key areas of our company, I'm privileged to work with my friends. This story between us started a long time ago, and once again we are on the road to success," summarized Bernard Mariette.

About Coalision

Created by the fusion of the words "coalition" and "collision," Coalision fully reflects the state of mind that reigns within the company: a strong coalition of individuals whose collision of creative forces results in two powerful clothing brands, ORAGE and LOLË. Coalision products are distributed throughout a network of more than 2500 retailers in Canada, USA, Europe and Asia. www.coalision.com

About Pull-in

It has been 11 years now that Pull-in has changed the way people feel about their underwear, bringing relentless freshness and creativity to an otherwise highly conservative lingerie industry. Known today for both the quality and originality of its products, the French brand has come a long way since its creation in 2000, as it now boasts over 20 concept stores and 1700 outlets in more than 21 countries. www.pull-in.com

About Lolë

Lolë believes that well-being is a state of mind that comes from living, loving and moving in harmony with yourself and others. Lolë is all about living out loud every day. The brand features a wide range of innovative, functional and feminine clothing for active, urban women. Lolë clothing is available at over 1,200 outlets in North America and at Lolë Ateliers in Canada and Europe. www.lolewomen.com

About Orage

Representing today's Modern Mountain Culture, Orage offers three seasons of outerwear, technical baselayers, layering and outerwear. All products are designed for warmth, protection and comfort -- and most importantly, style. Born from the streets of Montreal, QC, and raised in the mountains across North America and Europe, Orage draws inspiration from skiing's relentless evolution and from daily life in an urban landscape. www.orage.com

Charlene Lo 416 728-1205 [email protected]
Samantha Shecter 416 528-6625 [email protected]

Joëlle Langevin 514 524-1471 [email protected]
Natalie Bibeau 514 803-1471 [email protected]