LONDON — The brand, IP and selected assets of British accessories label Radley London have been sold out of administration to Gordon Brothers, the Boston-based brand asset specialist that owns labels such as Nicole Miller, Telefunken, LK Bennett and Rachel Zoe.
The transaction was facilitated by the administrator FTI Consulting on behalf of Radley + Co. Ltd., Laddie Bidco Ltd. and Laddie Midco Ltd., all of which are members of the operation trading as Radley London, which was known for its practical, accessibly priced handbags and wallets with a distinctive Scottie dog logo.
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In a statement shared with WWD, FTI Consulting said the operating business of Radley London, which included two high street stores, 18 outlets, 36 concessions and a direct‑to‑consumer website that served 17 countries, did not form part of the transaction, and the operating business will continue for a period to realize the company’s assets, following which it will be wound down, with 42 jobs impacted.
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The administration follows a challenging period for Radley, a long‑standing British accessories label that has been trying to speak to a younger and more diverse customer with the appointment of its first design director, Fernando Soriano Iglesias, last year, whose résumé includes accessories roles at Loewe, Calvin Klein and Carolina Herrera.
According to the latest Companies House filings, for the 52 weeks ended April 26, 2025, group turnover fell to 65.8 million pounds from 72 million pounds a year prior, hit by weaker international sales and the closure of loss‑making trial stores in the U.S.
In the U.K., Radley’s core market, sales were broadly flat, rising 0.4 percent to 53.1 million pounds in the period. Its retail operation arm Radley + Co. Ltd. accounted for 85 percent of external sales, while Radley USA LLC contributed the other 15 percent, but sales there dropped 19 percent year‑on‑year.
The group’s operating loss before one‑off items widened to 1.1 million pounds from 661,000 pounds in fiscal 2025. After 3.3 million pounds of nonrecurring charges, the statutory operating loss grew to 4.4 million pounds.
Still, Radley London was generating cash and delivering positive earnings, which helps explain why Gordon Brothers was interested in the IP. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and before nonrecurring items and discontinued operations, slipped only slightly to 2.4 million pounds from 2.7 million pounds.
Tobias Nanda, head of brands at Gordon Brothers, said: “We are thrilled to add another British icon to our global portfolio of brands. Our goal is to invest in Radley and support the brand’s next phase of development, expanding the brand’s footprint in the U.S., U.K., Australia and Asia so future generations can experience the best of British craftsmanship.”
Similar to LK Bennett, Gordon Brothers said Radley London will adopt an asset-light model, and focus on strengthening relationships with key retailers, expanding the brand’s international presence and extending Radley’s product categories beyond handbags, watches, jewelry, eyewear and beauty gifting.