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Fashion house Ralph Lauren is considering to join LVMH. Exploratory takeover talks have allegedly been going on for years now as founder Ralph Lauren himself is getting older.
A matter of succession
Ralph Lauren saw the light of day in 1967, when the eponymous fashion designer launched his own fashion label. To this day, Lauren is firmly in control: the man is still both chairman and chief creative officer. But that simply cannot last, so the designer is gradually preparing his succession.
One of the options on the table would be a takeover by French luxury conglomerate LVMH. According to Axios, exploratory talks have been going on for a couple of years. However, neither company confirms the rumours.
Mutual rapprochement
According to experts of the luxury market, the scenario is nevetheless quite plausible. In 2020, Ralph Lauren has already restructured considerably and dismissed 15% of all employees. Today, the American fashion house once again performs above expectations. As such, the company might be gearing up for a possible sale.
Until now, LVMH kept a distance from the American market because of the cultural and taste differences, but since the takeover of jewellery chain Tiffany & Co proved to be successful, the French might now be more open to it.
If a deal is struck, it would be one of the biggest takeovers in the fashion market of all time. Forbes assumes that an announcement should follow within two to three months. If not, no deal will have been reached.
