Permira is nearing a potential €2.5bn-plus exit from Golden Goose, as HSG moves closer to acquiring the Italian luxury sneaker brand after months of negotiations, according to Bloomberg. 

Sources said discussions could conclude by year end, although the timeline may shift and a deal is not yet guaranteed. The prospective transaction would mark a significant step in HSG’s expansion strategy, as the Asia-based investor builds its European presence and targets larger buyout opportunities.

For Permira, a sale would offer a long-awaited exit after the firm bought Golden Goose for €1.3bn in 2020 and later scrapped a Milan IPO in 2024 because of weaker market conditions. Investor appetite for European brands remains resilient, with recent activity including Temasek’s increased stake in Zegna and the Public Investment Fund’s investment in Rocco Forte Hotels.

Golden Goose has maintained growth through the luxury slowdown. Revenue rose 13% in 2024 to about €655m. The company operates 227 stores across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. Its distressed sneakers, often priced above €500 a pair, remain popular across global markets.

Earlier this year, Blue Pool Capital, backed by Joe Tsai, acquired a 12% stake to support the brand’s international expansion.

If completed, the deal would reaffirm private equity’s appetite for European luxury assets despite softer sector sentiment and offer Permira one of its largest consumer exits in recent years.

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