LVMH acquires stake in Nicholas Kirkwood

British footwear designer Nicholas Kirkwood has sold a stake in his fashion label to LVMH to help him expand his brand internationally and “further develop his vision”. The French luxury conglomerate group behind brands including Louis Vuitton, Céline,

Givenchy and Bulgari, has acquired a majority stake in Nicholas Kirkwood and will provide its “expertise” to help the footwear designer focus on the creative aspect of the business.

Commenting on the deal, Kirkwood said: “It's with a great sense of excitement and pride that I enter into this partnership. LVMH is home to the most celebrated and revered brands and talents in our industry, and has an implicit understanding of luxury.

“From my first meeting with Delphine Arnault and Pierre-Yves Roussel of LVMH, it was clear that LVMH would be the best partner for our brand as we have the same values of design, creativity, and craftsmanship.”

Nicholas Kirkwood partners with LVMH

Speculation surrounding the acquisition first emerged in March this year and it is thought that the deal was spearheaded by Delphine Arnault, who commented: “We are delighted to welcome Nicholas Kirkwood in the LVMH group. Nicholas’ talent for shoe design is exceptional and I am especially impressed with his commitment to innovation and craftsmanship.

“Throughout our meetings, I was particularly struck by his entrepreneurship and we discovered rapidly that we shared the same vision and beliefs. We want to allow him to further explore the boundaries of his creativity while the brand will benefit from LVMH’s expertise.”

Kirkwood, a Central Saint Martins graduate, who went onto learn the craft of shoemaking at the renowned Cordwainers College, launched his eponymous shoe brand in 2004 and gained a reputation for his signature sculptural shoes.