The Italian fashion group Prada would be among those potentially interested in acquire the luxury brand Versace, currently owned by the American Capri Holdings, as reported this Friday by the Italian newspaper ‘Il Sole 24 Ore’, citing market rumors.
In this sense, the newspaper of the transalpine country points out that the group headed by Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli, whose CEO is Andrea Guerra, would be analyzing the potential operation together with their advisors.
Nevertheless, Prada would not be the only company in the runningsince other fashion conglomerates would also have entered the market, especially several private equity funds, the newspaper points out, recalling that a year ago the same operation was considered by the Agnelli-Elkann family holding company, Exor, and by Kering.
Versace has belonged to Capri Holdings since 2018, when the multinational bought the firm from the Versace family and Blackstone for more than 1.8 billion. However, the newspaper notes that, since mid-December, rumors have increasingly pointed to Capri’s willingness to sell Versace, as well as Jimmy Choofor which it would have entrusted a mandate to Barclays to sound out possible interested parties.
It would be about the second time in less than a decade that Prada has looked at Versace, Since in 2018, when Versace was taken over by Capri Holdings with the departure of the private equity fund Blackstone, Prada would have considered the file, although it ultimately declined its interest.
According to investment banks consulted by the newspaper, a possible integration between Prada and Versace would make great industrial sense and would allow the creation of a great Italian ‘hub’ in the luxury segment.
In October 2024, a United States federal court provisionally blocked at the request of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the transaction of 8.5 billion dollars (8.248 million euros) for the merger between Tapestry, owner of brands such as Coach and Kate Spade, and Capri Holdings, owner of Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors, which subsequently resigned from the operation.
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