Global luxury company Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton S.A. – more simply known as LVMH – owns several major luxury brands, and may be looking to acquire upscale British shoe company Jimmy Choo Ltd., reports Luxuo.
Last weekend, the Sunday Times revealed that private equity company Towerbrook hired Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to sell Jimmy Choo. The British design house was co-founded by Tamara Mellon, and could sell for upwards of $800 million.
Founded in 1996 by Jimmy Choo himself and Mellon, who was fashion editor for Vogue magazine, Jimmy Choo’s name has become one of the biggest brands in the luxury footwear industry. The first store was opened in Knightsbridge, London and now Jimmy Choo shoes are now sold in hundreds of stores in 32 countries.
In addition to being regularly plugged on the hit TV series Sex and the City, some of the biggest celebrities wearing Jimmy Choo shoes include Julia Roberts and Beyoncé Knowles.
Last week, LVMH purchased controlling interest in luxe Italian jewelry brand Bulgari. Founder, chairman and CEO of LMVH, Bernard Arnault, is Europe’s richest person, and fourth richest in the world, according to Forbes magazine. His conglomerate owns over 50 luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Fendi.