- New Look (clothing retailer)
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New Look Retailers Ltd Type Private Industry Retailer Founded Taunton, England (1969) Founder(s) Tom Singh Headquarters Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom Number of locations 1,000 (2010) Area served United Kingdom
Republic of Ireland
Belgium
France
Saudi Arabia
Dubai
Kuwait
Egypt
Bahrain
United Arab Emirates
The Netherlands
Malta
SingaporeKey people Carl McPhail, Chief Executive Products Clothing Fashion Revenue 
GBP £1.147 Billion[1] (2008)Operating income £179 million (2008)Employees 30,000 (worldwide)
17,000 (UK)Website www.newlook.com New Look is a British global fashion retailer with a chain of high street shops in Britain, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Malta, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
Contents
History
New Look was founded in 1969 in Taunton, Somerset by Tom Singh. Since then the company has rapidly expanded and now operates across a chain of over 1,000 stores internationally and a staff of over 30,000. The group had a turn over of £1,147 million in y/e 2008 with profits of £179 million.[2]
In 2008 New Look continued its expansion in the UAE and opened its largest store to date in Liverpool One Shopping Centre. In 2009, its 40th anniversary year, it opened its first store in Russia in February 2009 [3]
In July 2010, New Look opened its Scottish flagship store in Glasgow Fort Shopping Park. The store is a massive 18,000 sq ft (1,700 m2). It was built on the site of a former Borders store.
The largest New Look store in the world opened in Dublin, Republic of Ireland on November 4, 2010 located at the Jervis Shopping Centre[4]. It is the 29th New Look store in Ireland.
In 2004 after six years afloat the company withdrew from the stock market and was taken back to being a privately owned business by founder Tom Singh and chief executive Phil Wrigley, and private equity investors Permira, Apax Partners and Quillian Investments.
On 26 April 2007, a fire occurred at a New Look branch in Oxford Street, London. The subsequent investigation revealed an extensive catalogue of failings relating to fire safety precautions and measures. The company subsequently pleaded guilty to criminal charges and on 25 November 2009, was fined a total of £400,000 with £136,052 costs.[5]
In 2010, the fines were upheld by the Court of Appeal.[6]
Market
The retailer's core audience is women in the 16-30 year old age bracket; however in 2001 the retailer diversified into men's clothing which has now been implemented into over 20% of the chain.
Promotions
In 2007 New Look launched its first advertising campaign for three years. The same year it used online advertising for the first time and launched its transactional website, which went live in December 2007 and currently carries womenswear, menswear, Generation 915 for teens, kids, footwear, maternity, tall & Inspire (Sizes 18-26).
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New Look Store - Exterior in Liverpool
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New Look Store - Interior in Liverpool
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New Look store inside the Merrywalks shopping precinct, Stroud, Gloucestershire
See also
- Top Track 100 - list of 100 largest private companies, New look is at no 32.
References
- ^ Sunday Times, 29-June-2008
- ^ Sunday Times Top Track 100, 29-June-2008
- ^ http://www.newlook.co.uk/navigation/corporate.aspx
- ^ http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/biggest-new-look-store-launches-in-dublin-179560.php
- ^ http://www.thebigredguide.com/news/uk-high-street-firm-new-look-fined-for-serious-breaches-of-fire-safety.html
- ^ http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2010/1268.html
External links
News items
Categories:- Clothing retailers of the United Kingdom
- Culture in Weymouth, Dorset
- Companies based in Dorset
- Companies established in 1969
- Privately held companies of the United Kingdom
- Apax Partners companies
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