Shay Mitchell helped turn BÉIS from a travel-brand idea into a business valued at approximately $210 million, and its pending sale to Samsonite could give her a sizable cash payout without ending her involvement in the company.
Samsonite Group has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 85% of BÉIS for $178.5 million in cash. The transaction gives the luggage and lifestyle brand a total enterprise value of approximately $210 million on a cash-free, debt-free basis, subject to a customary net working capital adjustment, according to the company’s corrected announcement.
Mitchell has agreed to roll over approximately half of her existing equity and will retain a 15% ownership stake after the transaction closes. Beach House Group, which incubated BÉIS and owns 70% of the company, is selling its entire stake.
At the approximately $210 million valuation, that portion would be worth about $31.5 million before taxes, transaction expenses and any applicable adjustments. Just Jared reached the same estimate, although neither Samsonite nor Mitchell has publicly disclosed her actual net proceeds.
Mitchell Will Still Help Shape BÉIS After the Sale
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The deal is structured differently from a complete founder exit. Samsonite will own 85% of BÉIS after closing, while Mitchell will retain 15% and continue working on the brand she founded in 2018. “Shay Mitchell has agreed to roll over approximately half of her existing equity in BÉIS and retain a 15% ownership stake in BÉIS following closing,” Samsonite said in its announcement.
Keeping an ownership stake is only one part of Mitchell’s continuing relationship with the company. After closing, she is expected to guide BÉIS’ long-term creative and product strategy under the title Founder and Head of Creative and Design.
BÉIS itself will remain a standalone brand inside Samsonite Group. CEO Adeela Hussain Johnson and the current management team are also staying in place. Samsonite CEO Kyle Gendreau said the company sees an opportunity to accelerate BÉIS’ growth while preserving the “entrepreneurship, creativity, and strong brand identity” behind its success.
BÉIS Generated About $210 Million in Sales Last Year
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BÉIS generated approximately $210 million in net sales during 2025. The company described the brand’s growth as both rapid and profitable. Lifestyle bags account for approximately half of its net sales, helping give Samsonite greater exposure to a category outside traditional travel luggage.
Mitchell founded BÉIS in 2018 with support from Beach House Group. PEOPLE noted that one of its signature products, the Weekender Bag, began with Mitchell sketching the idea on a cocktail napkin. The company has since expanded across luggage, travel bags and accessories, along with children’s products inspired in part by Mitchell’s daughters.
Samsonite plans to use its global distribution network, sourcing capabilities, logistics platform and product-development resources to bring BÉIS to more customers. Gendreau said the acquisition also supports Samsonite’s efforts to strengthen its digital capabilities and expand further into lifestyle bags.
Mitchell Calls the Samsonite Deal a ‘Dream Come True’
Mitchell described the agreement as “a dream come true” after eight years of building BÉIS. “I’m so proud of what our small but mighty team has built over the past eight years,” she said. “We’ve always dreamed big, and joining the Samsonite Group gives us the chance to dream even bigger.”
Mitchell said Samsonite’s strengths complement what BÉIS has already created and could allow the company to expand in ways it could not accomplish alone. “They’re truly the perfect partner,” she said. “Together we can take BÉIS places we couldn’t have on our own.”
Johnson similarly said Samsonite’s international reach and operational expertise could accelerate the company’s expansion. Samsonite expects the acquisition to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.