The Federal Commerce Fee on Monday sued to dam Tapestry’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Capri, a blockbuster trend tie-up that might deliver collectively Coach, Kate Spade, Michael Kors and Versace.

The lawsuit is a uncommon transfer by the company to dam a trend deal, provided that the business doesn’t undergo from an absence of competitors. In her practically three years as chair of the F.T.C., Lina Khan has put a precedence on taking over the facility of massive enterprise in fits throughout industries. The company has moved to dam the grocery store merger between Kroger and Albertsons, Meta’s acquisition of the digital actuality start-up Inside and Microsoft’s bid for the gaming big Activision.

The outcomes have been blended: The F.T.C. failed to dam Microsoft’s deal and Meta’s acquisition, each of which closed final yr.

“With the objective to turn into a serial acquirer, Tapestry seeks to accumulate Capri to additional entrench its stronghold within the trend business,” Henry Liu, director of the F.T.C.’s Bureau of Competitors, mentioned in a press release.

On the middle of the F.TC’s issues are “accessible luxurious” equipment — an business time period for the cheaper wares offered by Coach, Kate Spade and Michael Kors. The company mentioned tens of tens of millions of People may find yourself paying extra for this stuff as a result of the mixed firm would now not have the motivation to compete on value.

“This deal threatens to deprive shoppers of the competitors for inexpensive purses, whereas hourly staff stand to lose the advantages of upper wages and extra favorable office circumstances,” Mr. Liu mentioned.

A basic bag from Michael Kors, a Capri model, like a Marilyn medium brand tote bag prices $228. Tapestry’s related Coach Willow tote bag prices $350.

“It’s fairly clear to us that they don’t perceive how shoppers store in the present day and so they don’t perceive the dynamics of a market with no limitations to entry, fixed inflow of recent rivals,” Joanne Crevoiserat, the chief government of Tapestry, mentioned in an interview Monday.

Ms. Crevoiserat added that customers may store for baggage at totally different retailers and on quite a few web sites. “Sort in ‘black tote,’ you’ll see hundreds of selections and tons of of manufacturers at any value level,” she mentioned.

She added that Tapestry remained centered on closing the deal this yr and was ready to defend it in court docket.

Capri mentioned in a separate assertion that it additionally disagreed with the F.T.C.’s transfer and deliberate to defend the deal in court docket. The corporate mentioned People had tons of of selections of the place they may purchase purses.

“The market realities, which the federal government’s problem ignores, overwhelmingly display that this transaction is not going to restrict, cut back or constrain competitors,” the assertion mentioned.

The style deal, introduced in August, would create an American luxurious conglomerate supposed to compete with European powerhouses like Louis Vuitton’s father or mother, LVMH, and Kering, the proprietor of Gucci. However it could pale as compared by dimension: Primarily based on 2023 figures, Capri, which owns Versace and Jimmy Choo along with Michael Kors, and Tapestry, the proprietor of Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman in addition to Coach, collectively have about $12 billion in income. LVMH had income of 86.2 billion euros, or about $92.2 billion, final yr.

The luxurious market has skilled slower gross sales after benefiting from a pandemic increase from buyers spending on purses and different equipment. In February, Capri mentioned its quarterly income had fallen 5.6 %. That very same month, Tapestry mentioned it had delivered document income for the quarter after a powerful vacation.

The F.T.C. has been scrutinizing the deal for months, whilst regulators within the European Union and Japan accredited it. Merchants have more and more guess towards the probability of its going by means of: Shares of Capri have fallen 25 % this yr, whereas Tapestry’s have gained 6 %. (Sometimes, shares of the goal of a takeover achieve whereas shares of the client fall.)

The F.T.C. mentioned that, primarily based on paperwork produced by Tapestry, its acquisition of Capri was not more likely to be its final, and that this deal may give it leverage for future offers.

“That is the deal that is sensible for Tapestry,” Ms. Crevoiserat mentioned. “That is the transaction that we’re centered on.”