• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, April 23, 2025

Capezio, the legacy dancewear brand beloved by ballerinas and pop stars, is now owned by Argand Partners. The private equity firm has acquired the company, and plans to scale the niche company with new product lines, collaborations, and licensing deals -- moving beyond its theatrical roots into a broader lifestyle play.

While the 140-year-old company may seem like a boutique blip in the retail landscape, Capezio has long punched above its weight in cultural relevance. Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter all reportedly wear Capezio’s $15 Ultra Shimmery tights, fueling TikTok speculation about how pop stars get their eerily glossy legs. (No, it’s not baby oil.)

Capezio’s fashion cachet is nothing new. In 1949, a pair of canary-yellow ballet slippers made the cover of Vogue. And the company’s style DNA is visible today in brands like Birdies, Tory Burch, and Rothy’s, all riffing on the elegant minimalism of the ballet flat, a look made iconic by Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, and Amy Winehouse.

Founded in 1887, Capezio built its reputation on highly technical shoes worn by professional dancers, who can burn through dozens of pairs of pointe shoes a year. The brand became so essential to the industry that the Metropolitan Opera House named founder Salvatore Capezio its official shoemaker in 1892. Today, vintage Capezios are hot resale items on Etsy and eBay.

Under Argand’s ownership, the company will remain under the leadership of the founding family, including CEO Michael Terlizzi. The firm says it plans to build on Capezio’s legacy while modernizing its offering through strategic partnerships and product expansion.

“We are delighted to invest in this iconic brand that has helped to instill a love of dance across the world,” said Joyce Schnoedl, a partner at Argand -- and a longtime Capezio customer herself -- in the announcement. “We look forward to supporting Capezio’s next phase of growth.”

For media and retail watchers, the deal fits into a broader pattern. Private equity firms are scooping up tightly focused brands with intense customer loyalty and cultural clout, then scaling them with digital tools, D2C channels, and international expansion. With Gen Z’s appetite for niche authenticity and aesthetic throwbacks, Capezio might be perfectly poised for its center-stage moment.