EXHIBIT 99.(d)


Company Press Release

Gray Family, Vestar Capital Complete St. John Buyout

IRVINE, Calif.--July 7, 1999--St. John Knits, Inc. (NYSE: SJK) and Vestar
Capital Partners said today that a group consisting of Company founder, Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer Bob Gray, his family and an affiliate of Vestar
Capital has completed its acquisition of St. John Knits, Inc., in a transaction
valued at approximately $520 million.

The definitive agreement to take St. John private was signed Feb. 2, 1999 and
approved by an independent committee and the Company's Board of Directors the
same day. Shareholders of St. John gave their approval to the transaction at a
special meeting held June 28, 1999.

Vestar Capital provided approximately $179 million in equity financing for the
transaction and has become the majority holder of the recapitalized private
company, called St. John Knits International, Incorporated, with 78.1% of the
equity.  Bob, Marie and Kelly Gray hold 14.9% of the equity, which they received
in exchange for a portion of their previous holdings in the public company.
Certain former holders of St. John Knits common stock elected to retain shares
giving them a 7.0% total equity interest in the recapitalized private company.
Shares of St. John Knits International, Incorporated will not be listed on any
public exchange. The remainder of St. John's public shareholders received $30
per share in cash for their stock. Vestar Capital said a sufficient number of
public shareholders opted to retain their shares, such that all shareholders who
desired cash received all cash.

Bob Gray said, "We are very delighted to have completed this transaction and
are looking forward to our new partnership with Vestar, a high quality
investment firm."

Jim Kelley, managing director at Vestar Capital, said, "We are extremely
pleased to be investing with the Gray family in this tremendous women's apparel
franchise they have built. We look forward to working with them and the entire
St. John team in this next exciting chapter in the Company's history."

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, 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 Capital has completed 30 transactions with a total value of
approximately $7 billion.

St. John designs, manufacturers 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 18 boutiques and nine
outlet stores.

Contact:

  St. John Knits
  Roger G. Ruppert, 949/863-1171
     or
  Vestar Capital Partners
  Gene Donati, Clark & Weinstock
  212/953-2550