Frasers Group has brought its principal luxury retail businesses and strategic investments under a new Frasers Group Luxury division, with plans to expand its store portfolio and international reach.
Frasers Group has launched Frasers Group Luxury, bringing together FLANNELS, Harvey Nichols and US luxury retailer The Webster within a new division spanning the UK and US, with longer-term ambitions for international growth.
The £1bn-plus business comprises more than 100 stores across the UK and US and brings Frasers Group’s luxury retail operations, brand partnerships and strategic investments into a single structure. Alongside its directly operated retail businesses, the portfolio includes investments in Mulberry, Burberry, HUGO BOSS and HULCAN’s MILE.
FLANNELS And Harvey Nichols Store Plans
The division builds on more than a decade of activity in the luxury sector, with FLANNELS remaining a central part of the strategy. The retailer currently operates 85 stores nationwide, while Frasers Group has identified mainland Europe as a potential future market when suitable opportunities arise. Its continuing UK expansion has included developments such as the FLANNELS store at Westfield Stratford.
Harvey Nichols will meanwhile concentrate its physical UK presence around London Knightsbridge, Edinburgh and Manchester. Frasers Group has acquired the properties housing the Edinburgh and Manchester stores and is continuing discussions with Cadogan Estate over the Knightsbridge flagship, where it has indicated that substantial investment could be made in the space.
The Harvey Nichols stores in Leeds and Bristol are set to transition to FLANNELS. Its digital platform has also resumed trading.
The Webster And US Investment
In the US, Frasers Group is continuing to invest in The Webster around a year after beginning its partnership with the luxury retailer. Its Bal Harbour store in Miami is due to reopen in November in a larger space, while Frasers Group has acquired The Webster’s South Beach and New York SoHo locations.
The Webster partnership is being positioned as a model for how the new division could work with other luxury retail businesses as Frasers Group develops its presence outside the UK.
Luxury Brand Partnerships
Luxury brand partnerships are another part of the strategy. Frasers Group’s wholesale relationships include Dior, Chanel, Gucci, Prada and Brunello Cucinelli, alongside other international luxury houses. The group says it is among the largest wholesale partners globally for a number of these brands and points to its payment record with suppliers as part of those relationships.
“We value FLANNELS as a long-standing wholesale partner. Their teams have a deep understanding of their customers, and their store network helps us reach Burberry customers across the UK, particularly in areas where we do not have directly operated stores. I have been especially impressed with their flagships in Leeds and Liverpool which provide an impressive curation of luxury brands in engaging environments. They bring the energy of a fashion capital to key regional cities, giving more customers the opportunity to buy a Burberry trench coat in their home town.”
Joshua Schulman, CEO, Burberry
“We have built a strong partnership with Frasers Group over the years, based on trust, open dialogue and a shared ambition to grow our business together. Harvey Nichols holds a special place in Christian Louboutin’s history, as it was where we opened our very first shop-in-shop worldwide in 2007. We therefore look forward to this new chapter and to continuing to grow our partnership together.”
Alongside its operating businesses, Frasers Group Luxury will continue to make strategic investments where the group identifies growth potential, with its existing portfolio including Mulberry, Burberry, HUGO BOSS and HULCAN’s MILE.
The group intends to use the division to support partners entering new markets and reaching new audiences, while pursuing growth through a combination of organic expansion, acquisitions and further strategic investment. Its current geographical focus includes potential expansion for FLANNELS into mainland Europe and longer-term international development for Harvey Nichols.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
