The Federal Commerce Fee is suing to dam Tapestry’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Capri Holdings, saying the deal would hurt customers by decreasing competitors and elevating costs within the reasonably priced luxurious sector.

Monday’s federal court docket submitting by the FTC challenges the proposed deal that might have one firm controlling six vogue manufacturers: Tapestry’s Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman and Capri’s Michael Kors, Versace and Jimmy Choo.

The acquisition may have a adverse impression on the thousands and thousands of American consumers who now profit from the head-to-head rivalry between Tapestry and Capri, in addition to on the roughly 33,000 employees employed by each firms worldwide, the FTC said.

“With the objective to turn out to be a serial acquirer, Tapestry seeks to accumulate Capri to additional entrench its stronghold within the vogue trade,” Henry Liu, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competitors, said. “This deal threatens to deprive customers of the competitors for reasonably priced purses, whereas hourly employees stand to lose the advantages of upper wages and extra favorable office circumstances.”

Tapestry rejected the FTC’s stance, saying the company doesn’t perceive both {the marketplace} or the way in which folks store.

“The underside line is that Tapestry and Capri face aggressive pressures from each lower- and higher-priced merchandise. In bringing this case, the FTC has chosen to disregard the fact of at the moment’s dynamic and increasing $200 billion international luxurious trade,” the corporate mentioned in an announcement.

Tapestry mentioned it could purchase Capri in August of 2023. The businesses collectively generated greater than $12 billion in gross sales in 2022.