Policies & IssuesSep 11, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case in November A decision likely won’t come until January 2026 at the earliest, and the tariffs remain in effect until then.
MajorsNov 01, 2019
Bye, Bye Barneys: Judge Approves Sale to Licensing Co.
The longtime luxury retailer will likely close all locations after the sale of its assets was finalized Friday morning.
All seven Barneys New York stores are likely to close, including its New York flagship on Madison Avenue.
New York—Barneys New York Inc. will likely close all seven of its stores after a bankruptcy judge approved the sale of its assets to licensing company Authentic Brands Group and investment bank B. Riley Financial Inc.
The judge approved the sale Thursday, court documents show, and it officially closed Friday morning at 10 a.m., leaving little time for potential bidders to swoop in and acquire the luxury retail chain.
Authentic Brands is reportedly going to license the Barneys name to Hudson’s Bay Co., owner of Saks Fifth Avenue, to open Barneys shop-in-shops within Saks stores and allow HBC to operate the Barneys website.
Its inventory would likely go to B. Riley, known for its liquidation business, which brought in $11.3 million in its most recent quarter.
“Over the past several months, we have worked diligently with the court, our lenders and creditors to maximize the value of Barneys in this sale process, and we continue to work with all relevant parties toward the best solution for Barneys’ employees, designers and vendors, and customers,” said Barneys in a statement to The Associated Press.
Barneys filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Aug. 6 in New York amid soaring costs and declining sales.
Authentic Brands and B. Riley were the frontrunners in the bidding war, placing a $271.4 million “stalking horse” bid in October, but Sam Ben-Avraham, co-founder of streetwear brand Kith, rallied investors and began a campaign to preserve the legendary retailer, which was started by Barney Pressman in 1923.
“The brand as we know it today will disappear from our lives if it becomes an intellectual property license operation. Its unique identity, its point of view, its cutting-edge agenda will be lost,” wrote Ben-Avraham in an open letter on SaveBarneysNY.com.
The investor group wanted to devise a plan that would avoid “store closures and mass layoffs” but Ben-Avraham did not submit a final bid, sources told The New York Post.
Barneys has seven locations, including its New York flagship on Madison Avenue, and employs around 2,000 workers, according to Business Insider.
The silver lining for shoppers may be holiday liquidation sales on high-end luxury goods, a source told The New York Times.
The retailer’s unsecured creditors include the Row, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci and Prada.
More on Majors
The Latest
SourcingSep 11, 2025
Need to Sell More Natural Diamonds? De Beers Has an App for ThatThe new, free app offers accessible educational content, like games and podcasts, for U.S. retailers.
SourcingSep 10, 2025
Tech Meets Style in the New Loewe x Jacob & Co. HeadphonesJacob & Co. partnered with the German technology company on two pairs of headphones, one set with diamonds and the other with sapphires.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
TrendsSep 10, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Archival Jewels Bring Life to ‘Frankenstein’Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 “Frankenstein” will feature 27 jewels and objects from the storied brand, including pieces from its archives.
Weekly QuizSep 11, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
24 Karat Club of New York’s Banquet to Return to Waldorf AstoriaThe Waldorf Astoria New York’s grand reopening this past summer means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event.
SourcingSep 09, 2025
Anglo American to Merge With Canadian Copper Miner Anglo plans to merge with Teck Resources Ltd. to form Anglo Teck. The deal changes nothing about its plans to offload De Beers.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
‘The Mellon Blue’ to Return to Auction, This Time at Christie’s The 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which set two world auction records at Sotheby’s in 2014, is estimated to fetch up to $30 million.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
Phillips Names Dianne Batista Head of Jewels, New YorkThe industry veteran joins the auction house as it looks to solidify its footprint in the jewelry market.
MajorsSep 09, 2025
MJSA Education Foundation Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersThe nonprofit awarded four students pursuing a professional career in jewelry making and design with $2,250 each.
IndependentsSep 08, 2025
Take a Look Inside the New Korman Store in AustinThe Texas-based jeweler has also undergone a brand refresh, debuting a new website and logo.
MajorsSep 08, 2025
MJSA Is Officially Now Under JA’s UmbrellaThe two organizations have finalized and signed the affiliation agreement announced in May.
AuctionsSep 08, 2025
Sotheby’s To Auction ‘Exceptional’ Collection of JAR, Suzanne Belperron JewelsThe single-owner sale will headline Sotheby's inaugural jewelry auction at the Breuer building, its new global headquarters, this December.
Events & AwardsSep 08, 2025
27 Can’t-Miss Converge Sessions, Events From sunrise yoga to tariffs talks, these are some events to check out at the upcoming inaugural event.
ColumnistsSep 05, 2025
Peter Smith: A Lasting Lesson From Maurice Tempelsman Smith recalls a bit of wisdom the industry leader, who died last week, shared at a diamond conference years ago.
CollectionsSep 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jamie Turner’s ‘Victoria’ Necklace The “Victoria” necklace features a labradorite hugged by diamond accents in 18-karat yellow gold.
Policies & IssuesSep 05, 2025
Trump Takes Tariffs Case to the Supreme Court Two lower courts have moved to block the import taxes, which will remain in place as the legal battle continues.
WatchesSep 05, 2025
Patrick Mahomes Is the New Hublot Brand AmbassadorThe Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shares Hublot’s dedication to pursuing greatness, the Swiss watchmaker said.
SourcingSep 04, 2025
Lucara Unveils Unusual 37-Carat Pink DiamondThe Type IIa stone, recovered from Botswana’s Karowe diamond mine last month, features unique coloration.
WatchesSep 04, 2025
Breitling Takes Its NFL Game to the Next Level Breitling is now the NFL’s official timepiece partner, a move that puts the brand in front of the millions of Americans who watch football.
Events & AwardsSep 04, 2025
The NYC Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show Returns in NovemberNYCJAOS is set for Nov. 21-23 in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood.
SourcingSep 03, 2025
Gemfields Confirms Completion of Fabergé SaleU.S.-based investment company SMG Capital LLC is the new owner of the luxury brand.
MajorsSep 03, 2025
These Are the Nearly 300 Claire’s Stores Set to CloseA new court filing details the locations of the stores that will close, as well as the 830 that will remain open.
MajorsSep 03, 2025
Stuller Releases 2 New Catalogs The new catalogs are “Tools, Equipment, & Metals” and “Findings & Metals.”
TrendsSep 03, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: A Perfect BirthstoneSapphire’s variety of colors make it the perfect birthstone for September.
