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WHP isn\u2019t alone in its mission to establish itself as a brand management group that doubles as a serious fashion player. Authentic, which acquired the intellectual property rights to Barneys in 2019, is reportedly considering<\/a> reinstating the much-missed department store into its former Madison Avenue home. The group has also acquired Dockers, Reebok, Vince, and Eddie Bauer in the last five years. In addition to Off-White, Bluestone Alliance acquired Palm Angels<\/a> in 2025.<\/p>\n The Marc Jacobs acquisition, however, puts WHP Global squarely ahead of its competitors when it comes to luxury fashion ambitions. \u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity for WHP Global and G-III to capture the heritage and integrity of Marc himself, and all he has done for American fashion and beyond,\u201d says fashion consultant Julie Gilhart, who was SVP and fashion director of Barneys for 18 years. \u201cYes, his name is global, but his heart is in New York.\u201d<\/p>\n The success of the deal will be contingent on WGP Global\u2019s ability to work with G-III, to marry Marc Jacobs\u2019s commercial potential with the creativity and cultural cachet that has kept the brand at the heart of New York \u2014 and global \u2014 fashion for so many years.<\/p>\n In recent years, there has been a disjuncture between Marc Jacobs\u2019s accessories and licenses (Coty for fragrance; Safilo Group for eyewear), as well as the brand\u2019s ready-to-wear collections, experts say. The Marc Jacobs runway show \u2014\u00a0always off-schedule, typically at the Park Avenue Armory or the New York Public Library \u2014\u00a0remains a coveted ticket each February and June (or July). But the brand\u2019s recent runway collections are rarely seen out in the wild, except on the occasional celebrity, or at the Met Gala. (This year, the brand dressed guests including Serena Williams, Cardi B, and Rachel Sennott.) Jacobs\u2019s most recent show, though, signaled a pivot back to the wearable: \u201cWhat a great show! Clothes we can wear,\u201d Nicole Phelps reported<\/a> Jacobs\u2019s friend, designer Anna Sui, exclaiming post-show.<\/p>\n Its accessories, meanwhile, are widely distributed, lower priced, and, for the most part, an aesthetic departure from the brand\u2019s runway offering. Fragrance remains an easy (and popular) way in for consumers. Heaven by Marc Jacobs \u2014\u00a0also at a lower price \u2014\u00a0was an early hit with young shoppers, but the hype has since quietened down. And for this new era, there\u2019s a new player in the mix. Marc Jacobs Beauty is officially returning after being credited at both the February runway show and across celebrities\u2019 Met Gala looks, the designer confirmed in his Instagram post<\/a> announcing the sale. To date, though, these categories have been disjointed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe top priority is to create a more cohesive brand and proposition,\u201d Saunders says. \u201cThe Marc Jacobs brand is too fragmented in terms of the products it offers, its distribution, and its position in the market. That inhibits growth and it reduces impact,\u201d he says. \u201cWHP and G-III need to inject a lot more discipline and come up with an overarching brand vision.\u201d The ready-to-wear should remain the focal point for creativity, which should filter down to the brand\u2019s other areas of business to ensure brand alignment, he adds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nBridge the gap<\/strong><\/h2>\n