Multi-channel catalogue retailer, Scotts & Co., has today announced the sale of catalogue and online fashion retailers Artigiano and Rowlands of Bath to Klingel Group, one of Germany’s largest mail order retailers, for an undisclosed sum.
Artigiano is an upscale womenswear business with an emphasis on Italian-style Fashion. Rowlands of Bath specialises in offering high-quality women’s clothing for the discerning customer aged 55+ who appreciates the classic elegance of great British and European brands.
“The sale of Artigiano and Rowlands will allow Scotts & Co. to focus on the growth of its core brands: Scotts of Stow, Bloom, The Expert Verdict and The Original Gift Company,” said Scotts’ Executive Chairman, Nigel Swabey. “I am delighted with this sale of our two fashion brands. I have known the Klingel group for many years. In Germany and other countries, Klingel is already the leading distance seller in womenswear targeted at a 60+ audience. The Klingel Group is a strong strategic player with a very high commitment to making the Artigiano/Rowlands acquisition a success.”
As one of the top 30 mailers in the UK by volume with over 35 million catalogues distributed each year, Scotts & Co. is one of the largest independent catalogue and online retailers in the country. The company was first established as Scotts of Stow in 1991 in the Gloucestershire market town of Stow-on-the-Wold. The company changed ownership in 1996 when the founders of catalogue businesses Innovations and Kaleidoscope acquired a majority stake in the business. The Group still has three retail stores in the Cotswolds.
“Scotts & Co. operates in a competitive retail market. The sale of our fashion brands provides us with an opportunity to embark on an aggressive programme of investment in our core brands. The funding and other resources released by this sale will be used to further improve our product range, our online stores and the customer experience which we offer,” explained Swabey.
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