Marchpole targets Bardot fashions

MARCHPOLE, the men's fashion group behind Yves Saint Laurent and Ozwald Boateng, is in talks to buy the Louis Feraud fashion brand.

Louis Feraud, who died four years ago, rose to fame in the Sixties when he dressed the young Brigitte Bardot and the brand is now run by his daughter.

Marchpole would not comment, but said last week that its order books for the summer collection of its YSL and Boateng labels were up 15% on last year.

A source confirmed that the companies were holding talks.

Last month Marchpole signed a deal extending its worldwide - excluding America - menswear licence agreement with Emanuel Ungaro until December 2012.

Spring/summer 2005 collections have been launched and the order books are currently ahead of last year.