company without ruining what made it special in the first place.  Retail strategist Christine Russo, principal of RCCA, told Inside Retail she views the deal positively. “Marc Jacobs – in all references, the brand rather than the individual – is well-suited for the new global fashion ecosystem that has emerged over the last five to seven years, whereby brand ownership, licensing rights and operating control are separated among specialized firms,” she said. Compared to the luxury portfolio LVMH has established, Marc Jacobs, as a more accessible priced brand, doesn’t quite fit and may be better suited to its new owners. “Some may say that the brand will be chopped up and sold for scrap, but this is about finding the right home to lean into equity that still exists, and there is certainly more relevance both culturally and economically for Marc Jacobs.”  Similarly, Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData, said the Marc Jacobs brand is currently too fragmented across its products, distribution and market position, which inhibits growth and reduces its impact. He said the brand’s new owners will need to focus on defining a more streamlined version of the label and its offerings. “WHP Global and G-III will need to inject a lot more discipline and come up with a more cohesive, overarching brand vision and proposition,” Saunders said. Saunders also noted that Marc Jacobs still has significant fashion authority and credibility, as well as several iconic products. “This is a good base from which to build, but what the new owners need to do is finesse this into a commercial plan. At the moment, it feels like Marc Jacobs dabbles in certain areas and neglects others, and it can be difficult for consumers to buy into the brand.” Where does Marc Jacobs go from here? Like Russo and Saunders, Marie Driscoll, a chartered financial analyst and professor at Parsons, The New School and the Fashion Institute of Technology, said now is the perfect time for Marc Jacobs’ acquisition, thanks to current style trends. “Timing couldn’t be better with the trending popularity of all things ’90s, with Marc Jacobs credited as founding grunge in the early 90s and moving on to articulating sleek minimalism during that decade,” said Driscoll. “Also, with Marc Jacobs remaining at the helm as creative director, the brand DNA will be foremost as WHP extends brand reach through its licensing platform.” Driscoll noted that the brand has already taken steps in recent years to revive its popularity, including the reintroduction of Marc Jacobs’ sub-brand Heavy and the launch of the viral “Tote” bag. She added that having a new owner may bring the energy needed to revive a brand with an impressive legacy. “This is the right step for Marc Jacobs and his eponymous brand,” said Driscoll. “New owners with a different licensing playbook provide multiple opportunities to extend the brand – further penetrate accessories categories, enter new categories and distribution, as well as ample collab opportunities. There is a lot of runway left for this NYC brand!”  However, it will take more than an old dog learning new tricks for the brand to become relevant again, warned Naomi Omamuli Emiko, founder of marketing agency TNGE. “WHP buying Marc Jacobs is either the first IP deal that actually compounds luxury equity, or a very expensive Juicy Couture rerun – and we’ll know which within 18 months.”  Emiko told Inside Retail that said the brand still has real assets, including a fragrance empire, a Gen Z sub-label and a designer with cultural pull. However, the risk lies in what will be licensed after the deal closes. “After all, the tote bag is already showing up on Walmart flash sales, and there’s no named successor to Marc Jacobs in sight. Those two things need fixing before any repositioning story holds.” Further reading: LVMH confirms Marc Jacobs sale to WHP Global