Simpson Thacher represents KKR in its proposed sale of SMCP, a French fashion group operating under the Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot brands. On March 31, 2016, KKR announced the signing of an exclusivity agreement with Shandong Ruyi Technology Group in relation to the sale. The transaction remains subject to works council consultation and regulatory approvals. Following the sale, KKR is expected to retain a minority interest in SMCP.

The Simpson Thacher team working on the transaction includes Alvaro Membrillera, Till Lefranc and Paula Querol (M&A); Nick Shaw, Lucy Jenkins, Kate Sinclair and Dee Afolami (Finance); Meredith Jones and Joseph Tootle (Tax); and David Vann and Étienne Renaudeau (Antitrust).