Xcel Brands to Buy C. Wonder

C. Wonder, the apparel, accessory and home goods chain that shut down and filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, may get new life.

Xcel Brands recently said it’s hoping to buy the brand that J. Christopher Burch, the ex-husband of fashion designer Tory Burch, launched after the couple’s split.

C. Wonder sought chapter 11 protection in January after closing its stores. The filing capped off several years of overly ambitious expansion in which the retailer failed to turn a profit (and became a source of drama for the Burches). Mr. Burch purchased the company’s intellectual property during the chapter 11 proceeding in a $2.05 million deal that the bankruptcy court approved in March.

Now, it looks like the brand could get a new owner. Regulatory filings show that Xcel has offered $2.5 million in cash and 500,000 shares of its stock to fund the deal.

The deal would see C. Wonder join a roster of fashion brands under Xcel’s purview that includes Isaac Mizrahi, Judith Ripka and H Halston.

Xcel said it hopes to sell C. Wonder products on QVC starting next year and has tapped Brad Goreski, a celebrity stylist who co-hosts Fashion Police on E!, as the brand’s creative director.

Write to Jacqueline Palank at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @PalankJ