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PARIS -- LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton could turn into Jil Sander's white knight.
Ten days after selling its 25.5 percent stake in Fendi to LVMH, Prada Group is said to heading for talks with the French luxury goods giant about the troubled German design company. Well-placed sources here say Prada chief Patrizio Bertelli is in preliminary discussions with LV Capital, the venture capital subsidiary of LVMH, about it taking over Sander. Rumors of a potential Prada-LVMH deal over Sander have been circulating in Europe for about a week. Even the Sander design studio in Hamburg has been buzzing with talk of a potential sale to LVMH.
Equally important, sources said, the sale would open the door to Sander returning to the company that bears her name. The designer left in February 2000 after acrimonious disputes with Bertelli over its direction. Her deal with Prada meant she could not design for another company until January 2003.
WWD first reported last month that Prada was shopping...