{"id":68455,"date":"2023-10-11T17:51:50","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T17:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celeband.com\/?p=68455"},"modified":"2023-10-11T17:51:50","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T17:51:50","slug":"major-high-street-fashion-chain-with-180-stores-could-be-sold-to-next-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celeband.com\/lifestyle\/major-high-street-fashion-chain-with-180-stores-could-be-sold-to-next-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Major high street fashion chain with 180 stores 'could be sold' to Next | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
A MAJOR high street fashion chain with over 180 stores across the UK could be sold to Next.<\/p>\n
It's understood that the retail giant is in the final stages of snapping up FatFace.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It comes after FatFace's owners were reported to have appointed Rothschild to advise on strategic options in May last year.<\/p>\n
The company which operates online and out of 180 stores across the UK enjoyed strong sales growth during its last financial year.<\/p>\n
First reported by Sky News, the acquisition of FatFace comes just three years after it was taken over by its lenders.<\/p>\n
FatFace was founded by Tim Slade in 1988 selling T-shirts at the French ski resort M\u00e9ribel and opened its first retail store in London in 1993.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In 2007, FatFace was acquired, for \u00a3360 million, by private equity group Bridgepoint Capital.<\/p>\n But in 2020, Fat Face's lenders, Lloyds Banking Group and Goldman Sachs, took over the business from Bridgepoint and reduced its debts reducing debts by \u00a3146.8 million to \u00a325.6 million.<\/p>\n Talk of an acquisition deal will not affect trading as of today.<\/p>\n FatFace stores will continue to operate and shoppers can still buy the brand's clothing on the Next website as usual.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n FatFace's profits tripled as the retailer continued its investment into expanding its store estate and strengthening third-party partnerships.<\/p>\n Profits for\u00a0the fashion retailer\u00a0skyrocketed 198% to \u00a317.3 million, up from \u00a35.8 million, in the 52 weeks to 27 May 2023.<\/p>\n The business also signed partnerships with Next and Marks & Spencer during the 2021\/22 financial year, which helped to boost sales.<\/p>\n The business also signed partnerships with Next and Marks & Spencer during the 2021\/22 financial year, which helped to boost sales.<\/p>\n If its acquisition is successful, FatFace will add to Next's growing list of retail acquisitions and cement the group as one of the\u00a0most prolific buyers\u00a0of rival high street fashion chains.<\/p>\n Both FatFace and Next declined to comment.<\/p>\n It comes after Next announced in September it had become\u00a0the largest shareholder in Reiss\u00a0after it bought out private equity firm Warburg Pincus\u2019 interest for \u00a3128 million.<\/p>\n The fashion giant snapped up the Made.com brand, domain names and intellectual property for \u00a33.4 million after it was forced to appoint administrators back in November 2022.<\/p>\n Next started\u00a0selling Gap clothing online in late 2021, after it took over the running of the high street brand.<\/p>\n It then started selling Gap clothing in stores in early 2022.<\/p>\n It also agreed a sale to buy struggling lingerie brand\u00a0Victoria's Secret\u00a0in a move that saved its UK shops and website.<\/p>\n Earlier in 2022, it took a stake in baby and maternity clothing retailer JoJo Maman Bebe.<\/p>\n It was announced yesterday that Made\u00a0will make a physical return to stores with a new concession in one of Next's stores which is set to launch in December.<\/p>\n<\/picture>BYE BYE <\/span><\/p>\n
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