French Connection news and archive

Item of the week: the plaid skirt

What it is: While the plaid skirt is most regularly linked to pop culture of the late 90s, its history is more complex than that. The pattern, also often known as ‘tartan’, descends from 18th century Scotland, where it was used by the Jacobite army, an anti-British group. Over time, however, the symbolism that comes with plaid has evolved over...

BusinessFeatured

2021 Round up: The most notable acquisitions this year

Anyone who takes a quick look at the news over the past year will have noticed one business trend: takeovers, takeovers and takeovers. Various fashion groups seem to be actively in the acquisition game, while other companies were presented with an opportunity that they could not turn down. To sum it all up: these were the most notable...

Retail

French Connection teams up with Thrift+ for takeback service

French Connection has teamed up with second-hand clothing platform Thrift+ to offer its customers a takeback service. Customers can now add a Thrift+ bag to their basket while shopping online and use it to return any of their unwanted clothes. Shoppers will receive the bag when their online purchase arrives, which they can then fill up with...

BusinessFeatured

French Connection revenue plummets, but remains upbeat on recovery

French Connection has reported a steep drop in revenue for the full-year due to store closures, but remained upbeat on its recovery with strong sales reported in the UK and US since stores reopened. For the year ended January 31 2021, group revenue fell 40.4 percent to 71.5 million pounds, compared to 119.9 million pounds a year earlier....

BusinessFeatured

French Connection launches formal sales process as suitors back out

French Connection has launched a formal sales process after two investment firms pulled out of takeover talks. Last month, the British fashion retailer said it had received two separate approaches: one from Spotlight Brands in conjunction with Gordon Brothers International, and another from Go Global Retail in conjunction with HMJ International....

Business

Frasers Group sells entire stake in French Connection

Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has revealed it sold its entire 24.93 percent stake in French Connection amid news the retailer has been approached by two potential buyers. French Connection confirmed on Friday that it had received one approach from Spotlight Brands in conjunction with Gordon Brothers International, and another from Go Global Retail...

BusinessFeatured

French Connection US business secures 6.5 million dollars in funding

French Connection has announced that its New York-based US business has secured 6.5 million dollars of additional funding through the Main Street Lending Programme. The loan is for a period of five years with repayments starting from the end of the third year. The company said its US business, being predominantly wholesale, requires a “...

BusinessFeatured

French Connection H1 sales plunge, loss widens

For the six months, French Connection Group Plc reported revenue of 23.9 million pounds, 53.1 percent or 53.2 percent at constant currency lower than the previous period. In a preliminary results statement, the company said, retail revenue declined by 57.6 percent or 57.6 percent at constant currency to 10.1 million pounds with both UK/Europe...

BusinessFeatured

French Connection secures 15 million pounds in funding

French Connection has secured 15 million pounds in funding from Hilco Capital to help mitigate the impact of Covid-19. The company has put in place the working capital facility for the next two years, which it expects will be enough to cover its cash requirements. The retailer has been unable to receive any of the government backed financing...

BusinessFeatured

French Connection seeks funding as cash resources dwindle

French Connection has announced in a trading update that it is seeking funding as it recovers from the impact of Covid-19 and prepares to reopen stores. The British fashion retailer said that it has been in talks with various potential funding partners in light of its current cash position and the continued expected weak trading environment. “...

BusinessFeatured

French Connection swings to loss, revenues fall 11.4 percent

French Connection Group plc announced that though the first half of the financial year saw an improvement in underlying profitability, the second half of the year proved to be particularly challenging. The company said in a statement, underlying result for the full year to January 2020 was a loss of 2.9 million pounds (3.7 million dollars)...

Video

Video: French Connection AW18 Campaign

Step inside the French Connection studio and discover a collection which is sewn with craftsmanship and styled with adoration. Source: French Connection, YouTube.