After months of speculation, it is now official: LVMH has sold Marc Jacobs to Whp Global, the American firm specialized in managing and growing lifestyle and fashion brands. The deal, structured in partnership with G-III Apparel Group, is reportedly worth close to $1 billion according to market estimates, although the parties have not disclosed an official figure.
The group led by Bernard Arnault is ending a relationship that began in 1997, when Marc Jacobs entered LVMH’s orbit alongside his appointment as creative director of Louis Vuitton, a role he held until 2013. Jacobs, however, will remain at the creative helm of his eponymous label.
In a message posted on social media, the designer commented on the change of ownership with words that mix enthusiasm and a healthy dose of unease:
«I fear, I hate, but I also love change. Even if change is inevitable, what remains constant and unshakable is my love for fashion and the joy it gives me».
LVMH sells Marc Jacobs to Whp Global: inside the deal
The structure of the transaction says a lot about where the brand is headed. Whp Global will own the brand and run its licensing business, while G-III Apparel Group will handle retail and wholesale operations worldwide. The two firms will operate the brand through a 50-50 joint venture.
G-III is financing its share of the deal with roughly $500 million and will take over day-to-day operations of the house. It is the same group that has built its portfolio over the years with names like DKNY, Donna Karan, Karl Lagerfeld and Sonia Rykiel, plus a long list of international licenses.
Whp Global, for its part, has become one of the most aggressive players in commercial brand revival in recent years, with acquisitions ranging from Vera Wang to Rag & Bone, G-Star and even Toys“R”Us.
The model on the table looks far removed from the traditional European playbook for luxury houses, which rests on vertical integration and exclusivity. The goal here looks more like expanding the brand’s global footprint through licensing, department stores and accessibly priced premium products.
Yehuda Shmidman, founder and CEO of Whp Global, fittingly described LVMH as «an exceptional steward of the Marc Jacobs brand over the past three decades», adding that the group will work to «expand the brand’s global presence and build on its strong legacy».
What’s really behind the sale
Underneath the deal lies a more uncomfortable reality: Marc Jacobs has struggled to find a stable position in today’s luxury market. According to Business of Fashion, the brand had been losing more than €50 million ($54 million) a year, pushing LVMH to rethink its future.
Over the past decade the house has gone through several reinventions. In 2015 it shut down Marc by Marc Jacobs, the diffusion line that had accounted for much of the business thanks to more accessible prices and broad retail distribution. Since then the brand has tried more than once to reinvent itself, alternating luxury collections, contemporary lines and Gen Z-focused projects such as Heaven.
At the same time, certain product categories have continued to perform strongly, particularly accessories. Handbags like the “Snapshot” and “The Tote Bag”, priced below the offerings of larger luxury houses, helped drive the return to profitability announced in 2020, fueled partly by e-commerce.
In recent years Marc Jacobs had also pulled back from the official New York Fashion Week calendar, opting for off-schedule event-shows and increasingly limited distribution for its more experimental collections.
LVMH’s new strategy: prune the portfolio
The Marc Jacobs sale also confirms a shift in approach at LVMH. Historically reluctant to part with its brands, the French group has recently begun rationalizing its portfolio, doubling down on its core pillars Louis Vuitton and Dior.
In recent months LVMH has already sold Off-White to Bluestar Alliance and returned its stake in Stella McCartney to the British designer. According to industry chatter, the group is also weighing strategic options for Fenty Beauty.
The Marc Jacobs case echoes the 2016 sale of Donna Karan and DKNY closely. Back then too, LVMH had progressively restructured the business before fully exiting the capital.
The industry is now watching the brand’s next chapter with sharp focus: creative relaunch, or definitive transformation into a global commercial platform? The answer will play out over the coming years, but one thing is already clear: Marc Jacobs returning under American ownership marks a significant turn for one of the most iconic names in contemporary New York fashion.
Editor’s note
This article was originally published in Italian on money.it by Giorgia Paccione on May 15, 2026 as «LVMH cede a sorpresa Marc Jacobs e spiazza il mercato con un deal da 1 miliardo». It has been translated and adapted for an international audience by the Money.it International desk.
