OVERVIEW
White Stuff is a quirky casual clothing brand for men and women which started life in 1985 with two ski buffs selling T-shirts out of the back of a van.
It has since developed into a £155m+ business, with around 150 stores and concessions across the core UK market, supported by a growing international business which accounts for just under 10% of total sales.
Under CEO Jo Jenkins, White Stuff is transforming to be “fit for the future”, honing its omnichannel proposition with a refreshed identity, lowered overheads and a leaner, more future-focused top team.
When she joined the business in 2018 Jenkins said it was clear that White Stuff needed to “transform into a modern, agile version of itself” after losing ground to newer rivals like Hush and Seasalt. Jenkins has set about bringing back the best of the brand in a more contemporary way.
Acquisition by TFG
In late 2024, White Stuff was acquired by The Foschini Group London (TFG London), a subsidiary of South Africa-headquartered TFG Limited Group, which owns retailers including Whistles, Phase Eight and Hobbs. TFG’s portfolio comprises 35 retail brands across 23 countries.
TFG chief executive Anthony Thunström said the acquisition represents a “significant milestone” in the group’s medium-term strategy to add new brands. He explained that TFG London will be in a position to create a unified retail platform in the UK, “which largely mirrors our platform structure in Africa and Australia”.
He stated: “This acquisition represents a meaningful build out of our London business, adding close to 50% to TFG London’s turnover. White Stuff is a prominent high brand-equity business in the UK, and has potential for strong, sustained growth. We are excited about its prospects and very pleased to be retaining the experienced senior management team led by CEO Jo Jenkins.”
TFG London CEO Justin Hampshire said that the acquisition will enhance the group’s product offer. He commented: ”We have long admired the White Stuff brand which is synonymous with unique detail and exceptional quality. The addition of White Stuff to TFG London diversifies and strengthens our existing womenswear portfolio, adding the first lifestyle brand while also bringing a well-established menswear offer and its loyal and resilient customer base.”
Rebranding to more contemporary style
The company recently rolled out a new brand identity across its store estate and marketing activities to attract new customers. By updating the brand, management says it has taken “the best of our quirky heritage” to develop White Stuff into a “confident modern lifestyle brand for independent spirits with individual style”.
Extending presence through partnerships
Partnerships with Next, M&S, John Lewis, Very and QVC are helping White Stuff to reach new audiences. Over the most recent financial year the retailer said it recruited “a record number of new customers through shops and online activity and increased brand awareness through our third-party relationships”.
M&S expanded its number of stores housing White Stuff from 10 to 20 in mid-2024.
Ongoing investment in product to boost lifestyle credentials
White Stuff aims to differentiate its product from competitors through innovative design, an investment in quality and a commitment to continually improving its sustainability credentials.
It has also been striving to rebalance its sourcing mix to reduce lead times and react more quickly to market trends.
The product offer has been extended with the introduction of capsule ranges of footwear, accessories, lingerie and gift lines in recent years, with its online facilities being used to extend the offer in its many small stores. A range of childrenswear has also been added as Jenkins presses on with the strategy to extend its lifestyle credentials.
Stores are central to its omnichannel ambitions
White Stuff launched a new website during the 2023 financial year, which resulted in better conversion and “delivered a good return” from the retailer’s investment in digital marketing.
However, stores remain central to the White Stuff proposition because of the opportunity they provide to interact with customers. The retailer has also acknowledged that brand recognition and online sales are enhanced by having a physical presence in a particular area.
The retailer says it has “continued to evolve a profitable and flexible store portfolio to service our multichannel customer”. As well as completing the brand refresh across the store network, White Stuff has also relocated a number of stores to larger prime sites and is committed to expanding its geographical reach in high-footfall locations where it is currently under-represented.
The retailer announced plans to open its first airport store at London’s Gatwick North terminal in late-2024. Set to open in November, the store will feature both menswear and womenswear as well as ‘pay anywhere’ technology, allowing customers to avoid queuing at a till. White Stuff trading director Tracey Verghese said: “Opening our first airport store is a major milestone for White Stuff, introducing our brand to many more customers every year. Our unique designs and quality fabrics will be a great addition to London Gatwick’s portfolio of brands.”
International development
International development is anchored by wholesaling but supported by a growing concessions and online business. Extending its significant wholesale operation in Europe, North America and Australasia is a current focus.
It announced the roll-out of several wholesale partnerships in the US in June 2024 which will span seven states in the region.
Jenkins commented “The US is a big market with a meaningful opportunity for a distinctive British brand like ours, and we’re confident that our thoughtfully created designs in quality fabrics will resonate with US customers across the pond.
“Our wholesale business has helped us learn and adapt to new markets like Canada, New Zealand and the Czech Republic in the past few years, and has significant potential in the US.
“As we continue to scale White Stuff into an internationally recognised fashion and lifestyle brand, we see wholesale playing a bigger role in our strategy.”
It has also recently relaunched its German website through a partnership with THG Ingenuity with a view to accelerating its international presence across a number of new territories.
Technology
Investment in technology has created “a solid foundation for future growth”. This has included a new web platform, launched in summer 2023, a customer data platform, CRM analytics, third party integration software, and a more efficient stock allocation system.
Financial performance
White Stuff reported a 2.4% rise in total sales to £155m for the year ended 27 April 2024 (FY2023) with full price sales climbing 6.8% as the retailer discounted less of its products (see financials for further information).
