Sam Ben Avraham considers buying Barneys Image by Getty Images

An Israeli-born fashion mogul is emerging as the white knight who may rescue beleaguered Barneys New York from liquidation.

Sam Ben-Avraham, who founded white-hot streetwear label Kith and now runs the fashion-trade expos like PROJECT and Capsule, is preparing to pony up about $220 million for Barneys, according to the Wall Street Journal. Ben-Avraham “is assembling a consortium of retail veterans and brand investors to help fund the bid,” the Journal reported.

A Jewish thread runs through Barneys’ history. Launched by Barney Pressman in 1923 as a discount store, the brand grew to a luxury behemoth with stores and outlets nationwide. In a shocking turn, the company filed for bankruptcy protection in August. Its current woes stem partly from disputes with its Madison Avenue landlord in Manhattan — Ben Ashkenazy of Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp., whose portfolio reportedly includes more than 100 New York City buildings.

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As the Forward reported in August, the developer’s net worth has been estimated at about $7 billion; he made headlines in 2016 for hiring Drake to perform at his daughter Gigi’s bat-mitzvah.

Ben-Avraham, the potential Barneys’ suitor, keeps a relatively low profile, but his roots emerge in a few online stories. His LinkedIn profile depicts him at the Western Wall. And Ben-Avraham supported an exhibition last month of artist Jordan Nassar at Tel Aviv’s Center for Contemporary Art.

The offer led by Ben-Avraham “is the furthest along and it contemplates an asset-based loan and cash to keep Barneys operating,” according to Bloomberg.

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