Footwear chain Dune has reportedly tabled an offer to buy premium fashion chain LK Bennett weeks after it crashed into administration.
The Dune Group, which trades from about 50 standalone shops in the UK, has reportedly put in a bid to take the retailer over.
According to Sky News, Ernst & Young (EW), the chain's administrator, is assessing offers and expected to choose a buyer this week.
The shop's most recent results show it made an operating loss of £5.9million, excluding exceptional items, for the year to 31 July 2017.
Dune is part-owned by the Rubin family and is chaired by Daniel Rubin, who opened its first outlet as a concession on London's Oxford Street in 1992.
It is currently unclear as to how much Dune has offered EY for LK Bennett or who the other final bidder are.
However, billionaire tycoon Mike Ashley is reported to have also tabled an indicative offer after saving House of Fraser from collapse last year.
L.K. Bennett enters administration putting 41 UK stores and 480 jobs at risk
Fashion chain L.K. Bennett collapsed into administration earlier this month, sparking fears it could become the high street's next victim.
Its founder, Linda Bennett, drafted in advisers to examine options for the business nearly 18 months after regaining full control of the business.
EW was appointed to help decide the "best way through" some "difficult times" for the firm.
Dan Hurd, joint administrator, said: "LK Bennett is a strong luxury UK brand, the new season collection was critically acclaimed and recent trading is up, which we hope will be attractive to prospective buyers."
Administrators have already reduced the number of employees at the brand's head office and closed five stores, resulting in around 55 job losses.
The store closures are in Sheffield (Meadowhall), Bristol, Liverpool and London (Brent Cross and Westbourne Grove).
L.K. Bennett was founded in 1990 with the vision of bringing "a bit of Bond Street luxury to the High Street".
As well as its own chain of shops, L.K. Bennett has clothes available through concessions in department stores including Selfridges, House of Fraser and John Lewis.
It also trades from 200 branded outlets in the UK and overseas markets including China, Russia and the US.
