Frasers Group strengthens its presence in the luxury sector with the acquisition of Matchesfashion for £52 million. The British retail group will seek to drive profitable growth for Matchesfashion and consolidate its position in the luxury market.
On Wednesday, December 20, the Frasers Group confirmed the acquisition of Matchesfashion for a sum of £52 million (approximately $63 million). The transaction was formalized with the private equity owner of the luxury e-commerce platform, Apax Partners.
This acquisition follows a week of negotiations between the two companies, with Frasers surpassing several other candidates, including the UK retailer Next. Matchesfashion thus becomes the second online luxury retailer to be acquired this week, following Coupang’s purchase of Farfetch for $500 million.
Frasers Group, the British retail giant founded by billionaire Mike Ashley, aims to drive profitable growth for Matches to solidify its position in the luxury market.
“This acquisition provides an opportunity to develop Frasers’ elevation strategy and strengthen its luxury offering, where the company has established a strong presence and a unique position through its Flannels brand,” stated Frasers in a release.
Michael Murray, CEO of Frasers and son-in-law of Mike Ashley, said, “Matches has always been a leader in online luxury sales and maintains excellent relationships with its brand partners. This acquisition will enhance Frasers’ offering in the luxury sector, deepening our relationships and accelerating our mission, which is to enable consumers to access the world’s best brands. Although the global luxury environment is softer, we are confident that by leveraging our leading ecosystem, we will generate synergies and drive profitable growth for Matches.”
Renowned company facing challenges
Founded in 1987 by Tom and Ruth Chapman, Matchesfashion sold a majority stake to Apax Partners in 2017 for an estimated valuation of $1 billion. Despite frequent changes in leadership and recent challenges, Matchesfashion remains a renowned player in the online sale of luxury products. Apax invested £60 million in the retailer earlier this year.
Nick Beighton, CEO of Matchesfashion since 2022, will remain at the helm of the deficit-ridden company after the acquisition and “will work closely with the Frasers team to develop a strategy to successfully build on the underlying strength of the business while quickly unlocking synergies,” said both companies in a statement.
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Featured photo : ©Flannels
