Weil Gotshal & Manges' London arm has strengthened its ties with private equity house HgCapital, advising on its £190m acquisition of Manchester-based fashion business Americana International Group from ISIS Equity Partners.

Private equity partner Marco Compagnoni, who introduced the client to the firm when he joined from Lovells last year, led the team on the buy-out.

Compagnoni was assisted by associates Simon Lyell and James Swan and banking partner Richard Ginsburg.

Americana, which is best known for its fashion brands Bench and Hooch, has wholesale and retail operations throughout the UK and Europe as well as the Far East.

It is the second time Weil Gotshal has advised HgCapital, which has previously used a range of firms in the UK.

However, Compagnoni is also known to have close links with the client. He acted for HgCapital on its £68m take-private of music publishing house Boosey & Hawkes Group in 2003.

On this deal Addleshaw Goddard advised Americana's shareholders, which included its management and ISIS, with Manchester head of private equity Tim Hamilton leading a team that included corporate finance partner Geoff Yates. Addleshaws also advised ISIS when it backed the management buy-out of the company in 2003.

Hamilton commented: "It was great to be associated with a company that was not only successful but also such an iconic Mancunian brand."