EXHIBIT 99.1


For Immediate Release
- ---------------------


Contact:  For St. John Knits:            For Vestar Capital Partners:
          Roger G. Ruppert               Gene Donati or Kara Fitzsimmons
          (949) 863-1171                 (212) 953-2550
          or
          Michael Freitag/Jason Lynch
          Kekst and Company
          (212) 521-4800
 
 

                  ST. JOHN KNITS ENTERS DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT
                 WITH VESTAR CAPITAL PARTNERS AND GRAY FAMILY


         Public to Receive $30 per share for 97% of outstanding shares

     IRVINE, California (February 3, 1999) - St. John Knits, Inc. (NYSE:SJK) and
     Vestar Capital Partners today announced the signing of a definitive merger
     agreement between the Company and a group consisting of an affiliate of
     Vestar and the Company's founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob
     Gray and his family.  Under the terms of the agreement, approximately 97%
     of the Company's outstanding common stock will be converted in a series of
     merger transactions into the right to receive $30 per share in cash.
     Pursuant to an election and proration process, the remaining shares of the
     Company will be retained by existing public shareholders and will represent
     approximately 7% of the outstanding common stock of the Company following
     the transaction.  The transaction is valued at approximately $520 million.

     Vestar, through its affiliates, has agreed to provide approximately $154
     million of equity financing.  In addition, The Chase Manhattan Bank and
     Chase Securities Inc. have agreed to arrange an additional $340 million of
     debt financing in connection with the transaction.

     The Company entered into the merger agreement following its recommendation
     by a committee of non-management directors of the Company's Board of
     Directors.  The committee received fairness opinions from Merrill Lynch &
     Co. and Wasserstein Parella & Co.  The committee has been delegated all of
     the Board's authority to exempt transactions from triggering a distribution
     of rights under the Company's shareholders rights plan, to amend the rights
     plan and to redeem the outstanding rights.

 
     Mr. Gray stated, "We believe that the special committee has engaged in a
     careful review of the proposal, and we are pleased that the Board of
     Directors has determined to proceed with a transaction designed to bring
     significant value to our shareholders."  Jim Kelly, Managing Director of
     Vestar, said, "We are extremely pleased to be investing with the Gray
     family in this tremendous women's apparel franchise they have built.  We
     look froward to working with them and the entire St. John's team in this
     next exciting chapter in the Company's history."

     Mr. Gray and certain members of his family who collectively own
     beneficially approximately 10% of the outstanding common stock of the
     Company have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the merger
     transaction.  Following the transaction, it is expected that the Company's
     shares will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

     Completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions including
     shareholder approval, receipt of necessary financing and receipt of
     regulatory approvals.  Shareholder approval will only be solicited and
     securities will only be offered by means of a proxy statement/prospectus,
     which will be mailed to shareholders upon the completion of the required
     Securities and Exchange Commission filing and review process.  The Company
     currently anticipates completing the transaction late in the second
     calendar quarter or early in the third calendar quarter.

     Vestar Capital Partners, a leading investment firm based in New York with
     an office in Denver, manages more than $1.2 billion in equity capital and
     specializes in management buyouts and growth capital investments.  Vestar
     invests, as partners with management teams, in high-quality, middle-market
     companies.  It has been a leading or majority shareholder in such well-
     known companies as Celestial Seasonings, Inc., Prestone Products
     Corporation, Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Remington Products Company,
     Sun Apparel, Inc., Aearo Corporation, Insight Communications Company and
     Cluett American Group.  Since its founding in 1988, Vestar has completed
     approximately 30 transactions with a total value of approximately $5
     billion.

     St. John Knits designs, manufactures, and markets women's clothing and
     accessories.  The Company's products are sold under the St. John, Griffith
     & Gray and Marie Gray trade names.  St. John's retail division operates 17
     boutiques and nine outlet stores.