The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
British sporting goods billionaire Mike Ashley swooped on another failing retailer, snapping up online brand Missguided after it entered UK insolvency proceedings.
Ashley’s Frasers Group Plc agreed to pay £20 million ($25 million) for the intellectual property of Missguided and related companies, according to a statement Wednesday.
Missguided was founded in 2009 and sells clothes online to young women, targeting them via its 9.2 million Instagram followers. The retailer ran into difficulties as costs soared amid rising inflation and global supply chain snarl-ups. Surging energy and food bills mean consumer sentiment is also weakening as shoppers become increasingly selective about spending any disposable income.
The Times of London reported at the weekend that Boohoo Group Plc was in talks about a rescue deal.
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Frasers was formed after Ashley’s Sports Direct chain bought the department store group House of Fraser in 2018. Ashley has garnered a reputation for taking over failing retailers and building up stakes in rivals.
Other Ashley investments have included video game retailer Game Digital and Jack Wills, an apparel supplier. He currently has a holding in Hugo Boss.
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Antitrust enforcers said Tapestry’s acquisition of Capri would raise prices on handbags and accessories in the affordable luxury sector, harming consumers.
As a push to maximise sales of its popular Samba model starts to weigh on its desirability, the German sportswear giant is betting on other retro sneaker styles to tap surging demand for the 1980s ‘Terrace’ look. But fashion cycles come and go, cautions Andrea Felsted.
The rental platform saw its stock soar last week after predicting it would hit a key profitability metric this year. A new marketing push and more robust inventory are the key to unlocking elusive growth, CEO Jenn Hyman tells BoF.
Nordstrom, Tod’s and L’Occitane are all pushing for privatisation. Ultimately, their fate will not be determined by whether they are under the scrutiny of public investors.