Two weeks after Samsonite finalized its acquisition of an 85% stake in Béis, the travel and luggage brand founded by actor Shay Mitchell, a palpable sense of excitement permeates discussions about the significant milestone. The deal, valued at $178.5 million and valuing Béis at approximately $210 million, marks a pivotal moment for the eight-year-old company, which began with a curated collection of duffel and weekender bags. This is the first public statement from Mitchell since the acquisition, where she, alongside Béis CEO Adeela Hussain Johnson, expressed optimism for the brand’s future under the umbrella of the global luggage giant.
"Samsonite has been on my vision board and my lock screen for a while," Mitchell revealed during a virtual interview. "It’s very surreal. We’ve accomplished a great deal over the past eight years, but with this partnership, the possibilities for what we can achieve are now significantly amplified."
From Celebrity Side Project to Acquisition Powerhouse: The Béis Journey
Shay Mitchell, who first gained widespread recognition for her role in the popular television series Pretty Little Liars, launched Béis in 2016 with a clear objective: to fill a perceived void in the market for aesthetically pleasing and functional lifestyle bags and luggage specifically designed for the modern, busy woman. In the nascent stages of the brand, Mitchell leveraged her substantial social media presence, a common strategy for celebrity founders, to generate awareness and drive early sales.
"Getting the word out there in the beginning was critically important," Mitchell recalled. "I enlisted cast members from Pretty Little Liars to help, saying, ‘Hey, come in here, help me do this.’ I’ve genuinely believed in this brand from its inception. I would have championed it from the rooftops."
While the landscape of celebrity-backed brands has become increasingly saturated, Béis stands out as a rare success story, culminating in a significant acquisition. Mitchell attributes this achievement not solely to her celebrity status, but to the intrinsic value and utility of the products themselves. "Perhaps someone might purchase a Béis bag once because they recognize me from a show, but repeat purchases are driven by something more substantial," she explained. "It’s because they genuinely find the bag makes their life easier. I’ve always maintained that even if I were to step down or move on, this brand could stand entirely on its own."
The Béis product line offers a range of items, from the accessible Weekender bag, priced at $108, to larger check-in rollers that retail for up to $394, catering to an aspirational consumer base. Mitchell, in her role as Chief Creative Officer, remains deeply involved in the design process, focusing on addressing practical travel challenges faced by herself and her community. Innovative features include cushioned handles designed for comfortable maneuvering of heavy luggage, an integrated weighing system to detect if luggage exceeds the 50lb limit, dedicated compartments for wet clothing and laundry, and a built-in cord to secure keys, ensuring they are easily locatable after a trip.
Furthermore, Béis has strategically engaged in high-profile collaborations that have resonated with contemporary culture. Partnerships with brands and franchises such as Rare Beauty, Gap, KidSuper, Barbie, and Wicked have broadened its appeal and visibility. Mitchell continues to be a prominent figure in Béis marketing campaigns and social media content, including a notable collaboration with Selena Gomez for Rare Beauty, where both posed to promote lip shades and Béis luggage in matching pink hues. Among her favorite content creation formats are "walkthroughs," where she or other team members demonstrate product features to consumers on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
Samsonite’s Strategic Vision: Filling a Market Gap
Prior to the Samsonite acquisition, Béis was primarily owned by the Los Angeles-based brand incubator Beach House Group, which held a 70% stake. Mitchell, who initially owned the remaining 30%, sold half of her share in the Samsonite deal but retains her founder and creative director roles. Adeela Hussain Johnson, appointed CEO in 2024, continues to lead the company. In the fiscal year 2025, Béis generated approximately $210 million in net sales, with a significant portion derived from its direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel in the United States.
"We are currently at a team offsite, just two weeks post-acquisition," Johnson shared. "I asked the team to raise their hand if they felt things were different, and nobody did. That is precisely the intention of Samsonite, and it’s also our intention as the leadership team."
Samsonite, a titan in the travel goods industry with a legacy spanning 116 years, boasts a diverse portfolio that includes established brands like Tumi, Hartmann, and American Tourister. The group’s overall revenues reached $3.5 billion in fiscal year 2025. According to Johnson, Béis represents a strategic opportunity for Samsonite to capture a demographic previously underserved by its existing offerings: the young female consumer.
"Shay and I have been very deliberate in defining Béis’s market position and its specific role," Johnson elaborated. "Our business is built on a foundation of clear consumer centricity, which makes us a highly attractive prospect for a strategic partner like Samsonite."
Johnson further highlighted Béis’s product diversification strategy. "We did not initially launch with the roller suitcase; in fact, 50% of our revenue now comes from non-roller, lifestyle categories," she noted. "This is a very intentional business strategy aimed at meeting our target consumer at various life stages and in all her different endeavors. We anticipate this will remain a key area for our innovation efforts."
Consumer-Centricity as a Cornerstone of Growth
While Mitchell initially utilized her platform to promote Béis products, ongoing dialogue with customers remains a crucial element of the brand’s sustained growth and longevity. Béis actively develops or refines its products based on direct user feedback, with Mitchell meticulously documenting these insights in a personal notebook that she brings to design meetings. "I might read more comments than I should," Mitchell admitted with a smile. "But I truly believe our next idea, our next product, is found in our direct messages. When we release something, we receive immediate feedback. This provides us with invaluable knowledge."
A prime example of this feedback loop in action was the July revamp of the Weekender bag, one of the brand’s early successes and a significant contributor to its non-roller lifestyle range. Following the relaunch, Mitchell observed considerable negative feedback on Instagram, particularly concerning the bag’s strap design causing discomfort on users’ shoulders. The Béis team responded swiftly, performing what they termed "surgery" on the Weekender in a video demonstration to address the pain points. They also invited top customers from across the United States to their Los Angeles headquarters for early testing of the improved Weekender 2.0 before its official re-launch.
Béis’s pop-up activations also underscore its commitment to a consumer-centric approach. After receiving numerous comments about bags becoming soiled during travel, Mitchell organized a "luggage wash" event in Los Angeles, offering free cleaning services for customers’ cases and bags. "Since we don’t yet have a physical retail presence, pop-ups are our way of connecting with our customers and meeting them face-to-face," Mitchell explained.
Future Trajectory: Global Ambitions and Enhanced Innovation
With the infusion of capital from Samsonite, the establishment of brick-and-mortar stores is a clear long-term objective. However, the immediate priorities are focused on global expansion and new product development, bolstered by Samsonite’s extensive resources. "We can now leverage Samsonite’s global infrastructure in ways that we likely weren’t ready for earlier in our brand’s journey," Johnson stated. "From a scalability perspective, we understand what works domestically in the U.S., and we execute it exceptionally well. The next step is to translate that success globally. Partnering with Samsonite provides us with capabilities we wouldn’t otherwise possess."
While specific details of future plans remain under wraps, global expansion is the initiative that generates the most enthusiasm for both Johnson and Mitchell. "We have substantial data indicating global demand, and we’ve observed consumers abroad who are willing to pay significant amounts for shipping to acquire our products," Johnson revealed. "Our focus is on effectively utilizing the information we have. Samsonite is a global entity; they possess the expertise and understand which markets are performing well."
As Béis sets its sights on new international markets, including the United Kingdom and Asia, the brand intends to replicate its successful pop-up model on a global scale. "This global expansion is of paramount importance to all of us," Mitchell emphasized. "I envision hosting pop-ups in London and Asia in innovative and engaging ways, reaching markets that may not yet be familiar with our brand."
The overarching strategy, however, remains to "surprise and delight" consumers. The development of new categories and products is driven by intuition and authenticity. "The categories we enter are very true to our team," Mitchell explained. "For instance, when I was pregnant, we introduced diaper bags because I couldn’t find suitable options. I maintain a notebook of our community’s feedback, and we will continue to listen intently."
The Béis team, currently comprising approximately 50 individuals, has managed significant growth despite its modest size, a challenge acknowledged by both Johnson and Mitchell. The partnership with Samsonite will enable them to tap into the larger company’s expertise and resources to "professionalize" the brand as it scales. "Our team is incredibly small, which is remarkable given what we’ve achieved," Johnson commented. "There’s an inherent scrappiness ingrained in our culture, and we hire for that. We seek individuals with diverse perspectives and backgrounds, but also those who possess grit and treat the business as their own. However, there are pain points related to capital investment and infrastructure. Growth necessitates investment, and I believe we’ve found a partner who understands this, understands our category, and recognizes where these investments will be most effective."
"This year has been monumental for us. To feel like we can surpass it in the coming years is ambitious, but we will," Mitchell concluded. "We often speak of Béis being on a rocket ship. However, we’ve only just unlatched the gate; we are about to move, but we haven’t truly taken off yet."
Strategic Implications and Market Analysis
The acquisition of Béis by Samsonite is a significant development in the travel goods sector, signaling a strategic move by a legacy player to capture a younger, digitally-native demographic. For Samsonite, Béis represents a crucial expansion into a market segment characterized by aspirational purchasing decisions and a strong emphasis on lifestyle integration. The brand’s success in developing functional yet stylish products, coupled with its direct-to-consumer expertise and effective use of social media marketing, makes it an attractive asset.
From a market perspective, Béis’s ability to command premium pricing for its products, even those not classified as traditional luggage, demonstrates a strong brand equity and customer loyalty. The emphasis on addressing specific consumer pain points through thoughtful design innovations, such as integrated weighing systems and ergonomic features, differentiates Béis in a competitive landscape. This consumer-centric approach, actively incorporating feedback into product development, is a key driver of its sustained appeal.
The financial terms of the deal, valuing Béis at approximately $210 million, reflect the brand’s substantial revenue generation and growth potential. Samsonite’s investment will likely fuel Béis’s expansion into new international markets, leveraging Samsonite’s established global distribution networks and operational expertise. This strategic alignment is expected to accelerate Béis’s global footprint, potentially leading to increased brand recognition and market share in key regions.
Furthermore, the integration of Béis into Samsonite’s portfolio offers mutual benefits. Béis gains access to capital, manufacturing capabilities, and supply chain efficiencies that are difficult for smaller, independent brands to achieve. Conversely, Samsonite benefits from Béis’s agility, innovative product development, and deep understanding of the younger consumer, which can inform and invigorate its broader brand strategy. The success of this acquisition will be closely watched as a case study in how established industry leaders can effectively partner with and integrate burgeoning, founder-led brands.
