LVMH has completed the sale of Marc Jacobs to a joint venture formed by WHP Global and G-III Apparel Group. The transaction, valued at approximately $925 million, ends nearly three decades of LVMH ownership of the New York fashion label. The deal closed Tuesday after the companies announced the agreement earlier this year.
Under the transaction, WHP Global and G-III each hold a 50% equity stake in the new joint venture. The venture owns the intellectual property associated with the Marc Jacobs brand.
The structure separates the ownership of the brand's intellectual property from its day-to-day commercial operations. WHP Global will oversee global licensing activities, while G-III will operate the brand's retail, wholesale, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer businesses under a long-term license.
According to regulatory filings, WHP Global and G-III each contributed up to $425 million to the joint venture. G-III's overall investment, including its acquisition of the operating business, totals approximately $500 million. Marc Jacobs will remain involved with the label as founder and creative director. He is expected to continue leading the brand's runway collections and shaping its broader creative direction.
Done Deal: LVMH Completes Sale of Marc Jacobs to WHP and G-III https://t.co/PlPBdei8RT
— WWD (@wwd) September 1, 2026
"Marc Jacobs is a defining name in fashion, with powerful cultural relevance and global growth potential," WHP Global founder, chairman and CEO Yehuda Shmidman said in a statement. Shmidman also thanked LVMH for its stewardship of the brand during the company's nearly 30-year ownership period.
G-III chairman and CEO Morris Goldfarb said the company's experience with international fashion brands would help support the label's next stage of growth. G-III previously acquired Donna Karan and DKNY from LVMH in a $650 million transaction in 2016. The company is now adding another major New York fashion name to its portfolio.
The Marc Jacobs deal follows a period of restructuring across the fashion industry, as major luxury groups reassess the ownership and operation of individual brands. The new arrangement gives WHP Global control over licensing while allowing G-III to focus on the commercial business.
G-III has indicated that the acquisition could be slightly dilutive to its earnings during fiscal 2027. The company expects the deal to become accretive after the first 12 months.
For Marc Jacobs, the transaction creates a new ownership structure while preserving the designer's direct connection to the label he founded. The brand will now move forward with WHP Global overseeing its intellectual property and G-III managing its commercial expansion.
The change also closes an important chapter in the relationship between Marc Jacobs and LVMH. In 1997, Jacobs became the first creative director of Louis Vuitton, helping transform the company's fashion business and strengthening his position as one of the most influential American designers of his generation.
