KVD Beauty has found a new owner in private equity firm Windsong Global, marking the first-ever brand divestiture by Kendo, the beauty incubator owned by luxury conglomerate LVMH. The deal was first reported by Beauty Independent.
Launched in 2008 with just four red lipsticks, the brand—originally known as Kat Von D Beauty—rose to fame with its gothic aesthetic and bold, high-performance makeup.
Following Kat Von D’s exit in 2020, Kendo took full ownership and rebranded the line as KVD Beauty, repositioning it as a fully vegan offering. Under Kendo’s stewardship, the brand underwent two costly relaunches, most recently in 2021, and introduced products such as the Good Apple Lightweight Full-Coverage Concealer in 2022. However, marketing investments were sharply scaled back, and KVD’s revenues slipped from a peak of around $150 million in wholesale sales to just a fraction of that today.
Windsong sees opportunity in reviving the once-trendsetting label, tapping into its 6.7 million Instagram followers and wide distribution through Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and JCPenney. The firm is preparing a fresh rebrand under its Belle Brands division, scheduled for launch in the second quarter of next year. The turnaround strategy includes slashing SKUs from more than 300 to around 50, focusing squarely on the brand’s strongest categories: eye and lip products. A new creative director has also been appointed to steer the comeback.
For Kendo, whose portfolio includes blockbuster names like Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, Ole Henriksen, and Lip Lab, the sale underscores a rare shift in strategy. For Windsong, which has built a track record across beauty, wellness, and lifestyle investments with past holdings such as Algenist, Revive, This Works, Alberto VO5, and Tone It Up, the deal is another step in expanding its $10 billion-plus portfolio.
