Business

Sycamore retains Weitzman, Geiger brands

Sycamore Partners is hanging onto Stuart Weitzman and Kurt Geiger after all.

The voracious buyout firm, which completed its $2.2 billion acquisition of Jones Group on Tuesday, will maintain control of Jones’s Stuart Weitzman and Kurt Geiger brands, keeping a majority stake in both, sources said.

At the same time, top management at the two brands will remain in place as they take minority equity stakes of their own.

“We anticipate a long and successful partnership,” said Stuart Weitzman, who is executive chairman and founder of the New York shoe brand.

Execs at British shoe brand Kurt Geiger likewise cheered what they called a “management-led buyout” backed by Sycamore that separates the company from Jones.

That’s despite recent speculation that Sycamore would sell both brands outright to help finance turnarounds at Jones’s older, more downmarket labels — like Anne Klein, Nine West and Jones New York.

Indeed, the latter brands are more typical of Sycamore co-founder Stefan Kaluzny’s investments in downtrodden retail properties, notes Billy Susman of Threadstone LP, a New York investment bank focused on the retail industry.

During the past two years, Kaluzny has scooped up dowdy women’s clothier Talbots and troubled teen retailer Hot Topic. Despite skepticism, sources said, a turnaround at Talbots appears to be taking shape.

By comparison, Stuart Weitzman and Kurt Geiger are healthy brands that aren’t in need of major tinkering.

“While they may have less upside than other assets, they are worth holding onto,” Susman said.