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London-based womenswear designer Roksanda Ilinčić has sold the namesake label she founded in 2005 to new brand development platform The Brand Group. Roksanda had previously filed notice of intent to appoint an administrator, as it struggled in the face of challenging market conditions.
The acquisition will allow the brand to scale globally; Ilinčić will remain in place as creative director. “The Brand Group joins us as a valued partner at a time when Roksanda had been exploring new ways of operating in the existing luxury climate,” a statement from the company reads. “The Brand Group team’s experience and intention to champion British creativity makes them natural partners, and will help Roksanda maintain its position as a British luxury brand, nurture its existing loyal customer base, and support growth via new audiences.”
The Brand Group is a vehicle set up by Damian Hopkins and Sunny Malhotra to acquire and grow fashion and homeware brands on a global scale. Hopkins is an industry veteran whose CV features stints as international director of British retailer Matalan, founder of Savannah Miller’s fashion brand Vivere, and founder and CEO of PDS Radius Brands, which specialises in brand management and licensing. Malhotra is the founder of Simple Approach, an apparel design and sourcing business based in Hong Kong, which is also part of the PDS Group. Roksanda and Vivere are now stablemates under The Brand Group.
“I have long been an admirer of the Roksanda brand and her work, and we are thrilled to be partnering and securing the future of this iconic brand in its next chapter, while celebrating British luxury and supporting the impact that British creativity can have on the global stage,” said Hopkins in a statement.
Recently, Roksanda has been building awareness for her brand via collaborations. In February, Roksanda collaborated with FitFlop — the ergonomic shoe brand launched in 2007 by Marcia Kilgore (founder of businesses including Beauty Pie, Bliss and Soap Glory) — to curate an edit of flip flops and clogs in select colourways. Last year, Roksanda collaborated with British high street brand Jigsaw on a collection of knits, dresses and outerwear.
A number of London-based independent designers who ran hot brands a decade ago have since folded. Vogue Business speaks to designers and execs about the lessons they learned and how brands can scale.
However, the UK fashion industry has taken a hit over the past few year, with the cost of living crisis and Brexit affecting a number of independent designers including Christopher Kane, who filed for administration last year (and later bought it back). When it comes to scaling internationally, the stakes are higher for British brands; the UK market is small, so the growth potential is limited in comparison to American and European indie brands. The collapse of Matches earlier this year also leaves a void. (Roksanda is owed £8,875 by Matches, according to a filing on Companies House; other brands are owed hundreds of thousands.)
“This exciting new partnership will allow Roksanda to focus on long-term sustainable growth through her lens of beautifully designed womenswear, knowing that The Brand Group has the infrastructure and support to develop new markets and new categories,” said British Fashion Council CEO Caroline Rush in a statement.
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