Ballet Makers Inc. Enhances Product Line as Harmonie Joins the Capezio Family
Ballet Makers Inc. announced that on May 1st it welcomed Harmonie, a specialty maker of high quality, women's, teens and children's knit dancewear, into the Capezio family. For the past year, Capezio has exclusively represented Harmonie products. This new agreement solidifies the relationship between the companies, guarantees all Capezio retailers access to the high-end knitwear and strengthens Capezio's position as the leading resource for dance apparel.
Michel and Sylvie Mesnier, former soloists and principal dancers with the Paris Opera Ballet (Paris, France), Northern Ballet Theatre (Manchester, England) and Pacific Northwest Ballet (Seattle, Washington) founded Harmonie in 1993.
"We are thrilled Michel and Sylvie have joined the Capezio family. They are exceptional people who remain passionate about dance and have translated that love into beautiful dance apparel," said Paul Terlizzi, chief executive officer of Capezio Ballet Makers Inc. "Harmonie complements our current line with tasteful products appealing to dancers. One of our core values is to support innovation and style and we are delighted to do that by helping small, promising family-owned businesses reach their growth potential."
After retiring from dancing, the Mesniers initially took positions with Microsoft. They soon realized, however, that there was a void in the dance retail market. With a growing demand for elegant, comfortable, high quality, knit dancewear, and very few suppliers, Sylvie began knitting sweaters and leg warmers for dancers in her spare time. Demand for the products increased; and the couple decided to launch a full time business, supplying dancers with new designs in knitted products. "The Mesniers provide a true understanding and sensibility for the performance and aesthetic features they, as dancers, wanted to incorporate into their product line," noted Terlizzi.
The Mesniers will continue to operate Harmonie from their Seattle location. Capezio will provide sales, administrative and marketing support to allow Harmonie to grow. Additionally, the couple will share their design expertise with Ballet Makers, augmenting the Capezio line. They have already contributed to new Capezio designs.
For more information, contact the Sales and Marketing Department at 800.533.1887 or visit www.capeziodance.com. •