Companies

WHP Global to acquire Marc Jacobs from LVMH

May 18, 2026 France

The France-based luxury conglomerate has reached a definitive agreement to sell Marc Jacobs to WHP Global, the parent company of Vera Wang, G-Star and Rag & Bone

As part of the agreement, Jacobs, who founded the company in 1984 alongside Robert Duffy, will retain his role as creative director, thereby ensuring continuity for the brand’s vision, runway collections and shows.

“Marc Jacobs is a designer of rare creativity and unique vision. His impact on the world of fashion is undeniable, and I want to warmly thank him for his contribution to the success of the maison and the LVMH Group over the last 30 years”, said LVMH chair and CEO Bernard Arnault in a statement.

LVMH acquired the design company in 1997, shortly after Marc Jacobs was appointed Louis Vuitton’s first creative director. The company has provided the support and resources needed to expand globally since.

Arnault added: “I am confident that this new chapter will offer new avenues of opportunity for Marc Jacobs, that the brand and its designer will continue to inspire customers and creators around the world”.

The addition of the Marc Jacobs brand will see the New York-based brand management firm WHP Global, whose portfolio includes Vera Wang, G-Star and Rag & Bone, surpass 9.5 billion US dollars in global retail sales.

“When I met with Yehuda Shmidman [WHP Global chair and CEO], it was abundantly clear that his respect, admiration, appreciation, and love for the house we built was genuine and sincere (and by we, I mean all of us),” wrote Jacobs on Instagram.

In a separate statement, G-III Apparel Group announced that it will establish a 50/50 joint venture with WHP Global once the deal has been finalised. The joint venture will retain ownership of Marc Jacobs’ intellectual property rights, while G-III will acquire the brand’s operating business and enter into a long-term licensing agreement.

G-III stated that the transaction represents an investment of approximately 500 million US dollars, implying a total deal valuation of around 1 billion US dollars.

Image Credits: theimpression.com

France Acquisitions Companies Luxury LVMH Management