Whilst 24 Coast stores will close immediately, Karen Millen has acquired the brand, website and IP of the occasion wear retailer. Coast was yet another brand which had relied largely on concessions within department stores and was adversely affected by the collapse of House of Fraser. New owner Karen Millen will, however, continue to operate Coast concessions in Debenhams and John Lewis and has pledged to honour gift vouchers online as well as to refund uncollected click & collect orders as speedily as possible. The deal also sees Karen Millen take on 600 of Coast’s 900 staff.
Beth Butterwick, chief executive of Karen Millen said: “With its beautiful fabrics, stunning colours and signature designs, Coast is a much-loved fashion brand that has dressed women for all occasions since 1996. Our expertise and infrastructure puts us in a unique position to create a lean and profitable business, ensuring it remains a thriving destination in department stores and online.”
Coast was previously owned by Aurora Fashions which also operates Oasis and Warehouse.
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