en.Wedoany.com Reported - French luxury giant LVMH officially announced on May 14, 2026, that it has signed a definitive agreement with American brand management company WHP Global to sell its American designer brand Marc Jacobs. On the same day, U.S. apparel group G-III Apparel Group issued a statement announcing it will form a 50:50 joint venture with WHP Global to co-own the brand and take over its global operations. This marks the formal end of the nearly 30-year partnership between LVMH and Marc Jacobs.

Under the terms of the deal, WHP Global and G-III will each pay approximately $425 million, completing the acquisition at a total valuation of $850 million. Through the joint venture, both parties will co-own the intellectual property of the Marc Jacobs brand with a 50:50 equity split. G-III will acquire and operate the brand's global direct-to-consumer and wholesale businesses, while also securing an exclusive long-term license for the brand; WHP Global will leverage its established licensing management platform to further expand the brand's licensing system. G-III expects to invest approximately $500 million to complete its share in the joint venture, funded by cash reserves and its revolving credit facility. The transaction is expected to close within G-III's fiscal year 2026 third quarter (ending October 2026).

LVMH Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault stated in an official release that Marc Jacobs is a designer of rare creativity and unique vision, expressing sincere gratitude for his contributions to the brand and the group's success over the past three decades, and believing that this new chapter will bring more development opportunities for Marc Jacobs. Marc Jacobs himself posted on Instagram, expressing heartfelt thanks for the support and trust from Bernard Arnault over the past thirty years and looking forward to writing the brand's next brilliant chapter with the new partners. This deal marks a further step in LVMH's strategy to divest non-core brands, following the prior sales of Donna Karan (2016), Off-White (2024), and Stella McCartney (January 2025), gradually concentrating resources on core brands such as LV, Dior, Celine, and Loro Piana.

For WHP Global, the addition of Marc Jacobs significantly strengthens its brand portfolio in the high-end fashion segment. The group already owns brands including Vera Wang, Rag & Bone, and G-Star, and its global retail sales scale is expected to exceed $9.5 billion after the transaction closes. G-III Chairman and CEO Morris Goldfarb noted that Marc Jacobs is one of the most influential brands in the fashion industry, and this acquisition continues the company's strategy of diversifying its brand portfolio—G-III already owns brands such as DKNY and Donna Karan. The two buyers will jointly drive the Marc Jacobs brand into a new phase of growth, with G-III providing frontline operational capabilities and WHP Global providing brand licensing management platform support.

Brand founder and namesake designer Marc Jacobs will continue to serve as the brand's Creative Director, ensuring the smooth continuity of the brand's design philosophy, fashion collections, and runway shows. The Marc Jacobs brand was founded in New York in 1984 by Marc Jacobs and Robert Duffy, characterized by avant-garde design and street-style DNA, with products spanning ready-to-wear, handbags, footwear, eyewear, and fragrances. LVMH acquired a majority stake in the brand in 1997, during which time Marc Jacobs himself also served as Creative Director of LV. Over the subsequent nearly 30 years, the brand launched numerous iconic products across multiple categories.

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