John Idol
Chairman and chief executive of Capri Holdings
John Idol is the chairman and chief executive of Capri Holdings, the New York listed group that owns Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo. He has led Michael Kors since 2003, turned it into a multi brand luxury group by acquiring Jimmy Choo and Versace, and in 2025 sold Versace to the Prada Group.
| Role | Chairman and chief executive, Capri Holdings |
|---|---|
| Chief executive since | 2003 (Michael Kors) |
| Chairman since | 2011 |
| Previously | Chief executive of Donna Karan (1997 to 2001) |
| Brands | Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo |
| Nationality | American |
Who is John Idol?
John D. Idol is an American fashion executive who has run the Michael Kors business for more than two decades. He is chairman and chief executive of Capri Holdings, which today consists of two luxury fashion brands, Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo, and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Career
Idol held senior positions at Ralph Lauren before serving as chief executive of Donna Karan from 1997 to 2001. In 2003 he and Sportswear Holdings bought Michael Kors for 100 million dollars in a recapitalisation, and Idol became chief executive. He added the title of chairman in 2011, the year the company went public.
Under his leadership the group expanded beyond its founding brand. It acquired Jimmy Choo in July 2017 and completed the takeover of Versace in 2018, after which the parent company was renamed Capri Holdings at the start of 2019. In August 2023 Tapestry, the owner of Coach, agreed to acquire Capri for 8.5 billion dollars, but the US Federal Trade Commission challenged the deal, a judge blocked it in October 2024 and the two companies terminated the agreement the following month.
In April 2025 Capri agreed to sell Versace to Prada S.p.A. for 1.375 billion dollars in cash. Announcing the deal, Idol said Versace was "now well positioned for sustainable long-term growth". Capri announced the completion of the sale in December 2025, with Idol stating that the transaction would "significantly reduce our leverage ratio".
Influence on the fashion business
Idol is closely associated with the rise of accessible luxury as a business category. His career illustrates several themes that shape the sector:
- Building a global handbag and accessories business around a designer name
- Using acquisitions to create a multi brand luxury group in the United States
- The limits that competition regulators can place on fashion consolidation
- Refocusing a group on fewer brands to strengthen the balance sheet
The blocked Tapestry merger was one of the most closely watched fashion antitrust cases of recent years, because the regulator argued that it would reduce competition in affordable luxury handbags. The subsequent sale of Versace to Prada then reshaped the ownership of Italian luxury.
Why it matters
Few executives have stayed at the top of a major fashion company as long as Idol. His decisions on portfolio building, mergers and divestments have influenced how American and European luxury groups think about scale, and the current Capri, focused on Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo, is the result of more than twenty years of deal making under his leadership.
Frequently asked questions
Who is John Idol?
John Idol is the chairman and chief executive of Capri Holdings, the group behind Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo. He has led Michael Kors since 2003 and previously ran Donna Karan.
Why did Capri Holdings sell Versace?
Capri agreed in April 2025 to sell Versace to Prada for 1.375 billion dollars in cash, to strengthen its balance sheet and focus investment on Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo. The sale was completed in December 2025.