The mistress of floral-themed shabby chic lifestyle products, Cath Kidston, is thought to be considering a sale of her retail business to American buyout company, TA Associates, which would reap her in the region of £100 million.
Kidston founded her business in 1993 in London’s Holland Park, specialising in vintage fabrics, wallpapers and reclaimed furniture, soon achieving cult status with well-heeled yummy mummies, who are still her core consumers. A lucrative merchandise-licensing programme ensued, growing to include clothing, homewares and accessories. The brand now owns 28 stores and concessions in the UK, two outlets in Ireland and five in Japan. Expansion further into Japan, South Korea, China and Hong Kong is now on the cards.
on Mar 11th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Retailer Bryan Davies writes:
It is a worry when the heart and esence of the brand being arts and crafts for all from a cottage lifestyle figure head selling out to mass Market, looses it’s select special appeal. After all Laura Ashley didn’t retain it’s unique quite essential English appeal being sold off to a massive Malaysian company so why should Cath Kidston retain it’s core values being directed and influensed by another foreign cash flow?it will be very hard to put a rosie smile of cabbage prints over what is happening at the root of the company.