Bridging Creativity and Capital in Fashion & Luxury
I am a lawyer and advisor. My law firm, Pearce LLP, has served the international fashion and luxury industry since 2003. My clients are creative leaders and business founders. More recently, my practice has expanded to provide advisory services for industry investors and private equity.
For Creative Leaders and Founders >
For creative professionals, I help to achieve their priorities in employment and severance agreements, complex LTI’s and other critical transactions.
For founders, I structure and negotiate M&A transactions to help them achieve durable, mutually productive investor partnerships.
In all cases, I seek to create practical agreements that balance creative priorities with business objectives.
For Investors & Private Equity >
I help investors make more informed decisions in fashion & luxury based on my 25 years as a lawyer in the sector.
I provide the rare and valuable perspective of creative side, including evaluating intangibles like talent, cultural currency and founder dynamics that influence company value.
I bring the skill of structuring founder-investor partnerships between key talent and the major fashion & luxury groups.
My background includes Columbia Law School and a Clerkship in the Southern District of NY. I began my career at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. I also spent a decade practicing entertainment law before focusing on fashion and luxury. I founded Pearce LLP in 2003. The practice maintains a business presence in NYC and Paris, and I am fluent in French.
“Imagine you’re a designer with talent dripping from your fingertips - Gucci wants you. Prada wants you. You want Elizabeth Pearce...” “…the fashion lawyer extraordinaire…”
ARE YOU A FOUNDER, SELLING YOUR BUSINESS? SOME FAQ’s
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To be clear, if your attorney is paid by your company, their primary duty is to the company and its shareholders, not the founder. This creates a conflict of interest for the attorney when the founder's personal interests diverge from the company's, such as during financings, exits, or major transactions. The company’s lawyer is obligated to act in the best interest of the company, which may not align with the founder's individual needs or priorities. Read more about this, and other questions on my Substack, or contact me.
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You’ll be juggling daily operations while making high-stakes decisions that can feel overwhelming. It’s emotional to give up control of your life’s work. Plus, everyone—from your CFO to your college roommate—has an opinion. So who do you trust? The key is preparing and managing the deal like a pro. For more insights, check out my Substack or get in touch.
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Valuation gets all the attention but the partners’ relationship and terms will have more influence on your future success. Confirm alignment, or irreconcilable differences, on values, goals, and processes. Don’t assume shared expectations on anything. Have frank conversations, including the awkward ones like, how long you have to stay (or the expiration date on your job). Seek brutal honesty, and when in doubt make sure it’s written down. I share specific examples on my Substack.
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Bargaining power disappears even before the ink is dry. For instance, if you don’t lock in limitations on how the trademark can be used, even if it’s your name, you’ll have no say afterward. The negotiation process is a narrow window when the founder can secure what’s important. Most founders miss out by being unprepared. Get strategic guidance through my Substack or let’s talk directly.