内容摘要：has taken aim at a number of foreign goods, from European wines and car parts from Mexico to

has taken aim at a number of foreign goods, from European wines and car parts from Mexico to

People wait for Pope Francis to arrive to give a Mass at John Garang Mausoleum in Juba, South Sudan, Feb. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)announced a deal Thursday to buy crosstown Milan fashion rival Versace from the U.S. luxury group Capri Holdings under terms that values one of the most recognizable names in Italian fashion at 1.25 billion euros ($1.4 billion).

known for sexy silhouettes and bold Greco and Medusa motifs, under the same roof as Prada’s “ugly chic” aesthetic and the youth-driven Miu Miu whose stunning growth in recent years has far outpaced the market.said the 47-year-old Versace brand offered “significant untapped growth potential.’’“This is exactly the strength for our group. There are no overlaps in terms of creativity, in terms of customer,″ said Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada’s chief marketing officer, who is being groomed to one day take over the business that his parents — Miuccia Prada, the group’s creative force and largest shareholder, and Patrizio Bertelli, its chairman and executive director — have turned into a global fashion juggernaut.

“We are buying a brand with huge potential, with a very recognizable aesthetic,” Lorenzo Bertelli said, underlining that the Versace brand name recognition, putting it among the top 10 in the world, far outweighs its business performance.The final value of the deal will be adjusted at closing, which is expected in the second half of the year, the Prada Group said. It will be funded by 1.5 billion euros in new debt and has been approved by the Prada and Capri Holdings board of directors.

Prada Chief Executive Andrea Guerra said the deal was aimed at building a “sustainable revenue growth” and boosting the brand’s identity, and was not about squeezing synergies. Prada’s statement underlined that Versace will “maintain its creative DNA and cultural authenticity, ” while benefitting from its “industrial capabilities, retail execution and operations expertise. ”

There are no plans to change the CEO and Miuccia Prada will not be involved in the creative side of Versace, the executives said. Guerra added that the recent creative shakeup at Versace, with Miu Miu head of design Dario Vitale replacingAfter the match, Garcia stayed on court to deliver an emotional speech to a packed Suzanne-Lenglen crowd. She received a standing ovation, with French fans chanting her name for several minutes.

“I tried to fight until the end,” Garcia said, her voice trembling. “Since the start of the season, I knew this would be my last Roland-Garros. I hesitated to say it out loud because I didn’t know how I’d handle the emotions — and this week, the tears have come every single day.”She thanked the French public, her family, her fiancé, and the sport itself for shaping her identity.

“It’s time to say goodbye,” Garcia had written in a social media post. “After 15 years competing at the highest level, and over 25 years devoting almost every second of my life to this sport, I feel ready to turn the page and open a new chapter.”Garcia has won 11 WTA titles and captured the WTA Finals crown in 2022, the same year she reached the U.S. Open semifinals. She also won the French Open doubles title in 2016 and climbed as high as No. 4 in the singles rankings in 2018.