Michael Kors Is Close to Buying Versace for $2 Billion

Handbag maker Michael Kors Holding Ltd. is nearing an agreement to buy Gianni Versace SpA after the Italian fashion house known for its baroque designs drew interest from several suitors, people familiar with the plans said.

Michael Kors may announce a deal as early as this week that values Versace at about $2 billion, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the discussions are private. Donatella Versace, who has helped run the company with her brother Santo Versace since the murder of their sibling Gianni in 1997, has called a meeting with employees Tuesday to announce the sale, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Blackstone Group LP owns 20 percent of Versace, which sells leopard-print sweatshirts for 2,100 euros ($2,470) and 995-euro tartan-covered sneakers. The private equity firm plans to sell its stake in the deal, according to a person familiar with the situation.

A representative for Versace declined to comment on the potential transaction. Michael Kors couldn’t immediately be reached. A spokesman for Blackstone had no comment. While talks are advanced, no final agreements have been reached, the people said.

London-based Kors last year snapped up shoemaker Jimmy Choo Plc for about 896 million pounds ($1.2 billion), expanding beyond its namesake brand. Now, it’s vying with Coach owner Tapestry Inc. to build a U.S.-based multibrand fashion empire along the lines of Paris-based conglomerates LVMH and Kering SA.

Kors, whose shares are listed in New York, alarmed investors earlier this year when it reported a decline in retail sales under its main brand in the Americas, even as the smaller European and Asian markets fared better. The shares have recovered since then, trading 15 percent higher for the year, with Choo boosting the latest quarterly results.

Versace, known for its flamboyant style and Medusa-head logo, hired Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Akeroyd in 2016 from Alexander McQueen. The company had been working toward an initial public offering, though market conditions haven’t allowed it to move ahead.