Buying a Brand: Inside the $2.8 Billion TOM FORD Acquisition with Paul, Weiss Partner Claudine Meredith-Goujon

Buying a Brand: Inside the $2.8 Billion TOM FORD Acquisition with Paul, Weiss Partner Claudine Meredith-Goujon
Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 12:30–1:15 p.m. | Pound Hall, room 100 | Lunch served
When Estée Lauder bought TOM FORD in a deal valuing the brand at $2.8 billion, the price tag was only part of the story. The transaction also split the brand across partners: Zegna received a long-term license for all men’s and women’s fashion and took over the fashion operations needed to run it, while eyewear maker Marcolin’s license was substantially extended. Claudine Meredith-Goujon, Global Co-Head of Intellectual Property & Technology Transactions at Paul, Weiss, led the IP side of the deal alongside her colleagues, and the team was named IP Team of the Year at the 2024 Luxury Law Awards for it. Come hear how a fashion house is valued, carved up and licensed out, and what a transactional path into fashion IP looks like. A great fit for students drawn to corporate or M&A work.