Andrea Felsted, Columnist

Buying Tom Ford Would Be a Full-Circle Moment for Gucci

It wouldn’t be a cheap or easy acquisition, but taking another risk on the American designer could be worth it for luxury giant Kering.

November 7, 2022 at 5:00 AM UTC

By Andrea Felsted

Andrea Felsted is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering consumer goods and the retail industry. Previously, she was a reporter for the Financial Times.

Designer Tom Ford walks the runway.
Photographer: JP Yim/Getty Images North America

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Only three months after it emerged that Estee Lauder Cos. was in talks to buy Tom Ford for $3 billion, it’s now being reported that Gucci-owner Kering SA is in advanced discussions to acquire the American designer’s eponymous brand.

Kering’s challenge with the label, known for its pricey fragrances and mini-dresses, would be almost the inverse of Estee Lauder’s. While Estee has buckets of beauty know-how, it lacks credibility in fashion. In contrast, Kering, which declined to comment on Friday, is a master of high-end clothing and accessories but would need to take control of the cosmetics arm to make the acquisition work.