Cath Kidston to return to physical retail following administration

Over one year on from its takeover by Next, and Cath Kidston appears to be on the verge of returning to physical retail. The news was shared on the brand’s official Instagram page, where the exterior of a boarded up store appeared in a mysterious video hinting at the new location.

Upon closer inspection, the brand confirmed that the new store is to be unveiled at Westfield London on October 18, the date appearing on a sign outside of the shop which was accompanied by floral illustrations reminiscent of the brand’s signature ‘kitsch’ identity.

Speculation of the store opening was first ignited last week, when the brand teased what was to be the “next step on the journey”, inviting Instagram followers to guess where it would take Cath Kidston next.

The latest post then confirmed the physical location, with a caption adding: “We do indeed have a new home opening soon. Can anyone tell where in London we’ll be opening our doors?”

Over recent years, Cath Kidston has passed into the hands of a number of owners, the first being Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA), which rescued the brand from a pandemic-induced administration in 2020.

Later, in 2022, Hilco Capital secured an insolvency agreement with BPEA that ultimately led to the closure of most of Cath Kidston’s stores in the UK. This was then followed by a takeover by British retail giant Next, which snapped up the brand from administrators in early 2023 for consideration of 8.5 million pounds.

The move resulted in the closure of Cath Kidston’s four remaining UK stores, yet the company continued to operate a handful of locations in Saudi Arabia.