Over the holidays, NexCen’s failing Bill Blass name was finally bought by a company called Peacock International Holdings LLC, for just $10 million. For a moment, it looked like some random company might be able to resurrect the brand everybody had already said goodbye to, but that was put to rest this morning with the release of further details:
The sale of Bill Blass Ltd did not include Bill Blass Couture, only the trademarks of Bill Blass Ltd (meanwhile, NexCen’s selling the assets from Bill Blass, including the office furniture from their Seventh Avenue showroom a la Alessandro Dell’Acqua).
Translation? Peacock International Holdings purchased the Bill Blass name, but not the functioning company (or so it appears at this time – the Bill Blass saga has had a few twists and turns that might not be through). So instead of continuing the clothes with the same factories, people, designers, etc, they could continue the business with completely different people, even a completely different aesthetic if they feel like it, and still call it “Bill Blass Ltd.” Basically, they could even slap the name on oatmeal, and nobody could stop them.
Thought it’s unlikely – if anything, we sense nightgowns and hosiery are on the way…