Fat Face is a fashion and accessories retailer based in the UK and has been a high-street name for over two decades now..
Fat Face was created in 1988 by Tim Slade and Jules Leaver, two friends looking to enjoy the outdoors during both the winter and summer and Fat Face became their way of funding their winter skiing and summer surfing. Originally Fat Face began as a t-shirt and sweater business. The two friends operated their business in the French Alps whilst they were skiing and in their spare time the pair would sell t-shirts and sweatshirts to tourists during the ski season to make extra cash. .
The pair started out by selling slogan t-shirts, manufacturing the t-shirts themselves by using a company in Leicestershire that could keep up with their small clothing orders. Orders gradually increased as the duo travelled the world selling apparel and in 1993 they decided to invest in their first UK retail store in Fulham.
Although the brand originally started out as a brand for skiers and surfers, the founders realised they needed to fill other seasons and so began selling clothes that appealed to sailors and windsurfers. Soon a large sports leisure wear brand was born. Now the company focuses on selling a variety of niche clothes, all sports inspired, to consumers of all ages.
The brand started to catch the attention of investors and in 2007 it was bought by Bridgepoint for an estimated £360 million. Further stores were opened across the country and now there are over 200 stores throughout the UK.
The brand is known for its unique style and trendy designs and Fat Face is also known for their accessories including watches, bags, sunglasses and shoes. The brand is currently valued at £440m and growth doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. The brand look to set to expand into America during the next 12 months with a website and retail stores set for release.
The founders have certainly come a long way since their ski-bum days. The sale of Fat Face in 2007 reportedly made them £90m. It has also just been announced that the company is set to release shares on the stock exchange this year and with a 0.2% stake in the current business the founders look set to continue profiting from their creation. If you would like to learn more about sports inspired clothing or find wholesalers look at our wholesale apparel section.
