Tessuti is a chain of designer stores in the United Kingdom, retailing men’s and women’s designer collections, including clothing, shoes and accessories for men and women. Tessuti was founded in 1985 by David Light. In December 2022, Frasers Group acquired Tessuti from JD Sports who had previously owned the company in full since 2016.[2]

Tessuti
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail
Founded1985
FounderDavid Light
HeadquartersBury, United Kingdom
Area served
United Kingdom
ProductsClothing
RevenueDecrease £101.1 million (2021)[1]
Decrease £45 million (2021)[1]
ParentJD Sports (2016-2022)
Frasers Group (2022-)
Websitewww.tessuti.co.uk

As of 2019, Tessuti has thirty-eight stores, including doors in Liverpool,[3][4] Chester, Leeds,[5] Merryhill,[6][7] Meadowhall Sheffield[8] and Ipswich.[9][10] The retailer also has two stores within Manchester's[11] Trafford Centre and a Lowry Outlet store[12] in Salford Quays. The multi-channel retailer also has stores inside Bluewater Shopping Centre,[13] Metro Centre in Gateshead and Bradford Broadway. JD Sports PLC bought out menswear brand Cecil Gee[14] in 2012, turning all five branches into Tessuti stores. Tessuti’s portfolio has also includes the Aspecto[15] and Infinities retail businesses, bought by JD Sports PLC[16] in 2015 and that form part of an ongoing re-brand underneath the Tessuti umbrella. New store openings in 2018 included a new store at Manchester Arndale and Glasgow Fort.[17]

History

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David Light, the founder of Tessuti, opened his first shop at 53 Watergate Row, Chester in April 1985. The first store to offer a number of international brands to Chester, Tessuti’s original store introduced new labels such as Stone Island, CP Company and Giorgio Armani to the city.

In May 2012, JD Sports Fashion plc acquired 40% of the business and then later in 2016 took control of Tessuti in full.

In late 2017, the brand suffered from undesirable publicity due to animal rights campaigners drawing attention to the fact that stores sell products using real animal fur and goose down.[18]

In April 2018, Tessuti launched a flagship store in Chester at 30 Bridge Street, a grade II listed building and former Liberty store.[19]

Tessuti was the principal sponsor of the Sports & Leisurewear Award at Graduate Fashion Week[20] in 2018 and 2019. The 2019 winner of the Tessuti Sports & Leisurewear award was Katherine Jayne-Watts for her sustainable sportswear collection.

In December 2022 a £47.5m deal from Mike Ashley’s, Frasers Group saw Tessuti and 14 other brands be sold from previous owner JD Sports Fashion plc[2]

The Tessuti website was launched in 2006 as an extension of the business offering the same brands available across the Tessuti stores.

Etymology

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The Tessuti name comes from the masculine plural of Tessuto, the Italian word for fabric.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Financial statements of TESSUTI LTD". GlobalDataBase. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b "JD Sports agrees £47.5m sale of 15 brands to Frasers Group | Business | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  3. ^ "Tessuti - Liverpool ONE". Liverpool ONE. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  4. ^ Lally, Kate (2015-12-22). "Coats worth £6,000 stolen from Speke shop". liverpoolecho. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  5. ^ "Tessuti to open at White Rose in Leeds". Drapers. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  6. ^ Butler, Clare. "Skechers, Tessuti and Cath Kidston to open at Merry Hill". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  7. ^ Chamberlain, Zoe (2017-09-18). "These new fashion and shoe stores are coming to Merry Hill". birminghammail. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  8. ^ "Tessuti opens in Meadowhall". Insider Media Ltd. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  9. ^ Geater, Paul. "Boost for Ipswich town centre as Tessuti brings its fashions to the south". Ipswich Star. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  10. ^ Aldous, Megan. "Word on the Street: What did Ipswich make of Black Friday deals?". Ipswich Star. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  11. ^ Hurrell, Stephen (2016-07-29). "Manchester shopping sales cut up to 80% off the price of clothes". men. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  12. ^ "Place North West | Tessuti opens in Lowry Outlet Mall". Place North West. 2011-04-12. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  13. ^ Madge, Sophie (2017-11-24). "Bluewater opening times, discounts and deals for Black Friday 2017". kentlive. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  14. ^ "JD's Tessuti deal spells the end for Cecil Gee". Drapers. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  15. ^ Jahshan, Elias (2016-08-24). "Aspecto's future in the balance with impending closure of HQ - Retail Gazette". Retail Gazette. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  16. ^ "Aspecto bought by Tessuti partners". Drapers. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  17. ^ Glen, Fraser (2017-04-29). "Glasgow Fort to welcome six new businesses in the 'coming months'". glasgowlive. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  18. ^ Mercer, Katie. "Animal rights campaigners stage protest against real fur outside Tessuti store in Ipswich". Ipswich Star. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  19. ^ Ferguson, Angela. "New Tessuti Store Launches in Chester". We Are Chester. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
  20. ^ Halliday, FashionNetwork.com,Sandra. "GFW signs Tessuti to sponsor new sports/leisure award". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved 2018-05-10.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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