Shay Mitchell has turned BÉIS from a small travel start-up into a company valued at approximately $210 million. Samsonite Group announced on 13 August 2026 that it had agreed to acquire 85% of the luggage brand for $178.5 million.
The deal arrives eight years after the Pretty Little Liars actress launched BÉIS and follows approximately $210 million in net sales during 2025. Mitchell will retain a 15% stake and continue overseeing its creative and product direction, making the agreement a new growth chapter rather than a complete exit.
From Frequent Flyer to Founder
Before becoming a business founder, Mitchell spent seven seasons playing Emily Fields on Pretty Little Liars and later appeared in You and Dollface. Her acting career required frequent travel, exposing a gap between high-end luggage and cheaper products that lacked the compartments, durability and design she wanted. Development began about 18 months before BÉIS launched in 2018.
Mitchell initially sketched her ideal travel bag on a cocktail napkin during a flight. She wanted products that looked fashionable, functioned properly and remained financially accessible, particularly for younger women who could not justify luxury luggage prices. The name BÉIS came from the beige bag she repeatedly used while travelling.
The founder entered the industry without formal design training and worked with a team of five people during the company's earliest stage. She visited factories, studied materials and compared details such as wheels, zips and interior compartments while learning the manufacturing process. Mitchell has said she did not want to simply approve designs or serve as the celebrity face attached to the products.
Product First, Celebrity Second
BÉIS launched through brand incubator Beach House Group with a direct-to-consumer strategy. Mitchell deliberately avoided naming the business BÉIS by Shay Mitchell because she wanted customers to discover the company through its products, rather than buy luggage solely because of her fame. Its range eventually grew beyond suitcases and weekend bags to include backpacks, work totes, cosmetic cases, children's bags and travel accessories.
Mitchell described the company's approach as 'intuition backed by knowledge' during a National Retail Federation discussion in 2024. The team used customer data alongside Mitchell's experience as a traveller to decide which products and features to develop. That combination helped BÉIS establish a following that now exceeds 1.4 million on Instagram and 619,000 on TikTok.
The company also had to adapt when the COVID-19 pandemic stopped much of the world from travelling just before BÉIS planned to release its rolling luggage. It shifted attention towards hands-free bags, totes and other products suited to everyday movement. BÉIS chief executive Adeela Hussain Johnson said the business surpassed 200% growth during 2020 and continued posting double-digit annual growth afterwards.
That growth was supported by a leadership structure extending beyond Mitchell's public profile. Johnson manages the business as chief executive, while Mitchell concentrates on brand identity, product development and creative decisions. Both women will remain in their roles after the Samsonite transaction is completed.
A Nine-Figure Deal, Not a Goodbye
Under the agreement, Samsonite will pay $178.5 million for an 85% stake, giving BÉIS an enterprise value of approximately $210 million. Beach House Group will sell its entire 70% interest, while Mitchell will roll over roughly half of her existing equity and keep 15%. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
'This is a dream come true. I'm so proud of what our small but mighty team has built over the past eight years,' Mitchell said in the acquisition announcement. She added that joining Samsonite would allow BÉIS to 'dream even bigger' and reach places it could not access independently.
BÉIS will continue operating as a standalone company under Johnson and its existing management team. Mitchell will remain founder and head of creative and design, retaining both ownership and decision-making influence. Eight years after turning her own packing frustrations into a business idea, she enters the company's next phase with a global partner, a nine-figure valuation and her seat at the table intact.
