Sandbridge Capital announced that it has acquired a minority stake in Rossignol with the intent of helping the French ski equipment manufacturer launch an apparel subsidiary and become a global, sports-inspired fashion brand.

 The French ski equipment brand began exploring entering the apparel sector last year after Rossignol President Bruno Cercley recruited new investors to finance the company’s next phase of growth. Sandbridge Capital is taking a minority position alongside majority shareholder Altor, the Nordic investor with valuable experience in the outdoor sector and textile field. Other current shareholders include French investment company Weber Investment, the Boix-Vives family, the historic owners of the Rossignol Group from 1955 to 2005, and the management team, including its CEO Bruno Cercley.

Rossignol’s owns Rossignol and Dynastar skis, Look bindings, Lange boots, Kerma poles and Risport figure skates. Headquarted in Moirans, France, Rossignol generated close to €230 million in sales in 2013 and employed roughly 1,200 people. The company plans to create a dedicated apparel subsidiary to centralize all textile-related activities.

Sandbridge Capital, with offices in New York and Los Angeles, invests exclusively in the branded consumer retail and services sector, and was formed with backing from a group of retail and fashion industry icons. Among its senior advisors are former Gucci Group CEO Domenico De Sole, former Crocs CEO Ron Snyder and designer Tommy Hilfiger, who is an investor in the Sandbridge fund through his Star Branding Group.

Rossignol is a great heritage brand with tons of potential in the apparel sector, said De Sole, who currently serves as chairman of Tom Ford.

Cercley said Sandbridge provides valuable support on two key aspects.

“First, its strong expertise will contribute to our efforts in developing lifestyle collections for all four seasons of the year, not only winter,” Cercley explained. “Secondly, its deep retail industry network is a real asset, especially in North America. Leveraging Rossignols steeped tradition, we intend to develop a leading fashion brand oriented around our longstanding ethos of high levels of innovation and design.

Sandbridge Managing Partner David Fife said Rossignol is well positioned to quickly emerge as a leading sportswear inspired lifestyle brand.

“We are excited to work with Rossignol to provide the growth capital and partnership necessary to elevate the brand to its full potential and help play a role in bringing the iconic rooster back to the forefront of the global fashion community.