Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Gide Loyrette Nouel have taken lead roles on a €1.2bn (£1bn) disposal by Gucci owner PPR.

Skadden has advised French luxury goods and retail group PPR on the deal, which will see PPR offload its furniture and household goods brand Conforama to South Africa-listed manufacturing and retail group Steinhoff International Holdings.

Paris corporate partner Armand Grumberg led the Skadden team, with the US firm also handling antitrust issues with a Brussels team led by antitrust partner Frederic Depoortere.

South African law firm Bowman Gilfillan advised PPR on local law, fielding a team led by the firm's corporate head Ezra Davids.

Gide took the lead role for Conforama on the deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2011, subject to approval. Paris corporate partners Antoine Bonnasse, Antoine Lelong and Matthieu Roy led the French firm's team.

PPR said the sale came as part of a strategy to focus on its luxury portfolio – which includes the Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga brands as well as Gucci – and on its sport and lifestyle brands such as Puma.

Grumberg commented: "We were very pleased to advise the clients on this interesting transaction, which for the client was an important next step in its strategy to focus on luxury brands."

Skadden won the PPR client relationship after advising Gucci since the late 1990s. Past deals for PPR include the €1bn (£846m) French initial public offering of its African distribution unit CFAO last year. The deal, which also handed a role to Wall Street rival Sullivan & Cromwell, was the first major French listing since 2007.