The LVMH Group announced the acquisition of British shoe brand Nicholas Kirkwood. The aim is to leverage the Group's experience to develop Nicholas Kirkwood into an international brand.

"After meeting with LVMH's leadership, I felt we shared a common vision for design, creativity, and craftsmanship, and I look forward to further developing the brand through this long-term partnership," designer Kirkwood said in a statement.

Kirkwood studied fine arts at Central Saint Martins in London and then shoemaking at Cordwainers College in London. He founded his eponymous brand in 2004. Today, the brand's shoes are sold in over 150 department stores and specialty shops worldwide, with flagship stores in London, New York, and Las Vegas.

Since 2008, he has also designed accessories for the Italian shoe brand Pollini. He has also won the accessories category at the British Fashion Awards twice in the past, and this year he became the first accessories designer to win the BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards, sponsored by the British Fashion Council and Vogue.