Hungry Pegasus Apparel Group is turning its attention to another hot young designer – Nanette Lepore.
“We have had conversations with Nanette as well as many other people,” a Pegasus spokesperson told The Post.
Lepore confirmed that Pegasus had approached her but declined to
comment further.
The conversations appear to be preliminary, and it is not clear whether the designer would be interested in selling.
But the budding conglomerate’s interest is clearly flattering for Lepore, who has just opened her first signature store on SoHo’s Broome Street.
Her line is also carried in Henri Bendel, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
Jennifer Lopez, Courtney Love, Kate Winslet, Sharon Stone and Heidi Klum have all been spotted in Lepore’s colorful, flirty designs.
Her look is frequently described as feminine and romantic. This year she is selling lush velvets, rhinestone-studded tops and skirts, and brightly-colored sweaters with fake fur trim.
Her four-year-old business is small but growing quickly.
Robert Savage, president of the company – and Lepore’s husband – said the business rang up $7 million in sales last year and is on track to pull in $10 million this year.
Savage also told The Post that Lepore is considering opening a Tokyo store and is exploring some licensing deals.
Pegasus, headed by former Donna Karan executive Steve Ruzow, has also been on the move.
This year, the fledgling company has snapped up Daryl K, Pamela Dennis and Miguel Adrover — who made a splash this year with his Burberry plaid-inspired designs and won the CFDA’s Best New Designer award last week.
Ruzow is also expected to announce a deal to acquire Cynthia Rowley and John Bartlett’s businesses shortly.
And he has told The Post that he has looked at Coach, whose corporate parent Sara Lee recently announced plans to unload the newly chic leather goods company.
Ruzow has not dissuaded fashion insiders and reporters who have described Pegasus as an LVMH in the making.
He has said he wants to own eight to 10 fashion and accessories companies and pull in revenues of $400 million a year.