Jack Wills news and archive

Brand Machine Group signs Jack Wills global license agreement

Brand Machine Group, the international fashion brand owner and licensing house, has signed a long-term licensing partnership with Jack Wills. The two companies have worked collaboratively since 2020, launching the Jack Wills kidswear globally, and the new deal will see an adult offering added to the proposition to expand the brand into markets...

FashionMember

Jack Wills launches kidswear range

Jack Wills has partnered with childrenswear license partner Brand Machine Group (BMG) to launch its first kidswear range. The license agreement means BMG will design, manufacture and market childrenswear apparel and accessories for boys and girls aged up to 16 years. The Jack Wills childrenswear collection will initially expand the brand’s...

Retail

Jack Wills announces more permanent store closures

Jack Wills has announced the permanent closure of 17 more stores, bringing the total number of stores it has closed for good this week to 31. The British lifestyle brand has now announced the closure of 42 closures since it was rescued out of administration by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group in August 2019. A spokesperson for the brand said: “The...

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Rise in companies falling into administration in 2019

Store closures and companies falling into administration increased by just under 5 percent over 2019, according to new analysis from KPMG. A study of notices in the London Gazette shows that a total of 1,403 companies went into administration during 2019, compared to 1,341 in the previous year. The rise was driven by a spike in insolvencies in...

BusinessFeaturedMember

Sports Direct's H1 profits rise, bullish on recovery at House of Fraser

Group revenue for the first half year at Sports Direct International was up 14 percent to 2,043.5 million pounds (2,740 million dollars), which the company said was largely due to acquisitions contributing 222.5 million pounds, growth in premium lifestyle, growth in wholesale and licensing and the full period of revenue from House of Fraser....

People

Jack Wills CEO exits following Sports Direct takeover

Jack Wills CEO Suzanne Harlow has left her position at the company just two weeks after it was bought in a pre-pack administration deal by Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct. Harlow exited the Jack Wills on Tuesday and did not resign or quit, a source from the casualwear retailer told Retail Gazette. The source couldn’t confirm whether the decision...

Retail

Sports Direct shuts eight Jack Wills stores

Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has closed eight Jack Wills stores and may close more if landlords don’t agree to cut rents. The closed stores are in Marlborough, Derby, Reigate, Rock, Tunbridge Wells, Durham, Kingston and St Albans. Sports Direct said it would try to redeploy affected staff elsewhere in the group, The Financial Times reports. Jack...

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Sports Direct acquires Jack Wills for 12.75 million pounds

Finally Mike Ashley's company has won the bid to acquire troubled fashion retailer Jack Wills’ assets and stores across the UK and Ireland and the international Jack Wills brand for a cash consideration of 12.75 million pounds. The company made an announcement after the stock market closed yesterday. Sports Direct acquires Jack Wills After Jack...

Retail

Jack Wills to be sold to either Sports Direct or Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group

British lifestyle brand Jack Wills has two potential buyers to avoid it falling into administration. Sports Director founder Mike Ashley and Edinburgh Woollen Mill’s billionaire CEO Philip Day are the last bidders left to buy the company, according to Sky News. Devon-based Jack Wills employs over 1,800 people and operates 110 stores, including...

BusinessMember

Philip Day makes takeover offer for Jack Wills

After Bonmarche, Philip Day has said to have made a takeover offer to acquire struggling fashion retailer Jack Wills, reports Retail Gazette. After the company’s private equity owner BlueGem began looking for a buyer at the beginning of this month, Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct, Crew Clothing and Ben Sherman parent company Marquee Brands as well...

People

Jack Wills appoints new chief financial officer from Jigsaw

British fashion and lifestyle brand Jack Wills has appointed Claire Wain as its chief financial officer. Wain, who currently holds the same role at UK fashion retailer Jigsaw, will report to Jack Wills CEO Suzanne Harlow when she joins the company in April. Prior to working at Jigsaw, Wain was director of group finance at Mothercare and held...

BusinessMember

Jack Wills reports loss of 7.5 million pounds

For the year to January 28, 2019, UK-based clothing retailer Jack Wills reported a marginal 1.1 percent decline in sales to 129.3 million pounds. However, in a filing with the Companies House UK, the company said, gross margin earned on sales declined by 50.98 percent and Ebitda before exceptional items was a loss of 7.5 million pounds compared...