FatFace
British lifestyle apparel brand offering casual clothing, footwear and accessories with ski and outdoor-inspired roots.
Last updated August 21, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
FatFace is a British lifestyle clothing and accessories brand whose identity developed from ski culture, outdoor travel and relaxed everyday dressing. Tim Slade and Jules Leaver founded the business in 1988 in Méribel, a French ski resort. They initially bought T-shirts wholesale, added designs associated with the resort and sold them to fellow skiers. The early activity was informal and closely tied to financing the founders’ own skiing, but the pair continued travelling between resorts and broadened the range into ski and outdoor-related apparel. The name refers to the Face de Bellevarde, a demanding ski slope in Val-d’Isère. FatFace moved from resort trading to permanent retail in 1993, when it opened its first shop on Fulham Road in London. Over time, the brand expanded beyond technical or resort clothing into a broader lifestyle proposition covering women’s and men’s apparel, children’s clothing, footwear, accessories and selected home-related products. Its design language has generally emphasized comfort, practical wearability and an informal, family-oriented interpretation of British outdoor and coastal life. FatFace operates as a multichannel retailer, combining physical stores with digital commerce. Its principal market is the United Kingdom, with additional retail and online activity in Ireland and the United States. The company has been described as having more than 180 UK stores and around 20 US stores, alongside an international digital business. Its customer proposition sits in the accessible-to-mid-market casualwear segment rather than luxury or specialist performance sportswear. The brand’s ranges are intended for everyday use, including leisure, travel and outdoor-inspired occasions, and are sold across adults’, children’s, footwear and accessories categories. The ownership history has been shaped by private-equity investment and later financial restructuring. Livingbridge acquired a minority interest in 2000, while Advent International later bought Livingbridge’s stake. Bridgepoint Capital acquired FatFace in 2007. The business experienced pressure during the Great Recession, after which its performance improved in 2010 and 2011. A proposed 2014 London stock-market flotation was cancelled because prospective investors lacked confidence in the offering. In 2020, a lender-led restructuring transferred control from Bridgepoint to lenders through Fulham Parent Limited and substantially reduced the group’s debt burden. FatFace disclosed in 2021 that it had suffered a ransomware attack earlier that year and had paid a ransom to regain access to encrypted data. The incident became one of the most significant publicly reported events in the company’s recent history. Later in 2021, Liz Evans left the chief executive role and Will Crumbie became CEO. In 2023, Next plc announced an agreement to acquire FatFace for a total value of £115.2 million. Next took 97% of the equity, with management retaining 3%. In 2024, FatFace’s online operations migrated to a website hosted through Next’s Total Platform, linking the brand more closely to Next’s digital and operational infrastructure while preserving FatFace as a distinct consumer brand.
History
FatFace began in 1988 when Tim Slade and Jules Leaver met the commercial opportunity of ski-resort tourism with a small apparel operation. Based in Méribel, France, the founders purchased wholesale T-shirts, printed them with resort-specific designs and sold them to other skiers. The original purpose was to finance their own skiing, but repeated travel among European resorts gradually turned the activity into a developing clothing business. The founders expanded into ski and outdoor-related garments and built a name associated with informal resort culture. The FatFace name was taken from the Face de Bellevarde slope at Val-d’Isère. This ski connection remained important to the brand’s early identity, even as the product range moved beyond specialist resort clothing. In 1993, the business established a more permanent retail presence by opening its first shop on Fulham Road in London. The move marked a transition from seasonal or itinerant resort selling to a structured lifestyle-retail model. During the following years, FatFace broadened its offer across women’s and men’s clothing, children’s ranges, footwear and accessories. It developed a wider casualwear proposition based on comfort, durability and outdoor-influenced styling. The company also expanded its physical store network and added digital commerce, becoming a multichannel retailer serving customers in the United Kingdom and selected international markets, particularly Ireland and the United States. Ownership changed several times as the business grew. In 2000, Livingbridge acquired a 40% interest for £5 million. Advent International subsequently acquired Livingbridge’s interest. In 2007, Bridgepoint Capital bought FatFace for £360 million. The company then encountered difficult trading conditions during the Great Recession, causing Bridgepoint to write off half of the company’s value. Trading performance improved in 2010 and again in 2011. Bridgepoint considered a 2014 London Stock Exchange flotation involving approximately a quarter of the company, but the proposed listing was later abandoned because of insufficient confidence among prospective investors. In September 2020, FatFace completed a lender-led debt and capital restructuring. Control of the parent company changed from Bridgepoint to the group’s lenders through Fulham Parent Limited. The restructuring also reduced the reported face value of loans and borrowings, excluding lease liabilities, from £172.4 million at completion to £25.6 million at the period end, with the remaining facilities scheduled to expire between September 2023 and May 2024. This event represented a major change in the financial and ownership structure of the business. FatFace disclosed in March 2021 that it had been hit by a ransomware attack in January. The attack encrypted company data, and the business reported paying a $2 million ransom to the Conti cybercrime group to unlock it. Later that year, Liz Evans stepped down as chief executive and Will Crumbie succeeded her. Crumbie had served as FatFace’s CFO and had previously held senior finance and executive roles at Walgreens Boots Alliance and P&O, according to the cited reference material. In October 2023, Next plc announced the acquisition of FatFace for a total value of £115.2 million. Next acquired 97% of the equity, while FatFace management retained 3%. The transaction moved the brand into Next’s ownership while allowing it to continue operating as a recognizable standalone lifestyle label. In September 2024, FatFace’s online operations migrated to a website hosted through Next’s Total Platform, reflecting closer integration with its new owner’s digital infrastructure. FatFace remains an active brand focused on casual apparel, footwear, accessories and outdoor-inspired lifestyle products.
- 2024
Digital operations move to Next’s Total Platform
[1]FatFace’s online operations migrate to a website hosted through Next’s Total Platform.
- 2023
Next plc announces acquisition
[1]Next agrees to acquire 97% of FatFace’s equity in a transaction with a stated total value of £115.2 million.
- 2021
Ransomware incident is disclosed
[1]FatFace reports a January ransomware attack and a $2 million ransom payment to recover access to encrypted data.
- 2021
Will Crumbie becomes CEO
[1]Will Crumbie replaces Liz Evans as chief executive.
- 2020
Lender-led restructuring changes ownership
[1]Control passes from Bridgepoint to the group’s lenders through Fulham Parent Limited, alongside a substantial reduction in borrowings.
- 2014
Proposed stock-market flotation is cancelled
[1]A plan to float approximately a quarter of FatFace on the London Stock Exchange is abandoned because of weak prospective investor confidence.
- 2007
Bridgepoint Capital acquires FatFace
[1]Bridgepoint Capital buys the company in a transaction valued at £360 million.
- 2005
Advent International acquires Livingbridge’s interest
[1]Advent International buys Livingbridge’s holding in FatFace.
- 2000
Livingbridge takes a minority stake
[1]Livingbridge acquires 40% of the company for £5 million.
- 1993
First permanent shop opens in London
[1]FatFace opens its first shop on Fulham Road, marking its development from resort trading into a permanent retail business.
Products and positioning
Accessible-to-mid-market, family-oriented casual lifestyle apparel with British outdoor, ski and leisure influences.
Apparel
Women's clothing
The women’s range forms one of FatFace’s core lifestyle categories and is built around casual, comfortable garments with outdoor and leisure influences. The offer sits within the brand’s broader everyday wardrobe proposition rather than specialist technical sportswear.
Apparel
Men's clothing
FatFace’s men’s clothing range extends the brand’s relaxed British lifestyle positioning into everyday apparel. Its roots in ski and outdoor merchandising inform the informal, practical character of the collection.
Apparel
Children's clothing
Children’s clothing supports FatFace’s family-oriented retail proposition. The category complements adult casualwear and helps present the brand as a lifestyle destination for multiple members of a household.
Footwear
Footwear
Footwear is sold as part of FatFace’s coordinated lifestyle assortment, complementing clothing and supporting casual, travel and outdoor-inspired use cases.
Accessories
Accessories
Accessories broaden the brand’s outfit and lifestyle offer beyond garments. They are presented alongside adult, children’s and footwear categories through FatFace’s stores and digital channels.
Controversies
2021
Ransomware attack and ransom payment
FatFace disclosed that a ransomware attack in January 2021 encrypted company data. The company reported paying a $2 million ransom to the Conti cybercrime group in order to unlock the affected data.
2021
FatFace notifies customers of data breach
FatFace notified customers that a ransomware attack had exposed customer data. The notification asked recipients to keep the email and its information confidential, a request that drew criticism from users on Twitter.
Brand decisions
2024
Migrate online operations to Next’s Total PlatformStrategyBackground
Following Next’s acquisition, FatFace’s digital operations were brought closer to the acquirer’s technology and commerce infrastructure.
Action taken
FatFace’s online operations were migrated to a website hosted through Next’s Total Platform.
Aftermath
The migration increased operational integration with Next while maintaining FatFace as a separate consumer-facing brand.
2023
Sell majority ownership to Next plcM&ABackground
FatFace remained a private lifestyle retailer after its 2020 restructuring, while Next was expanding its portfolio and operational platform.
Action taken
Next plc acquired 97% of FatFace’s equity, with management retaining 3%, for a stated total value of £115.2 million.
Aftermath
FatFace became part of Next’s ownership structure while continuing as a distinct brand. Its online operations later moved onto Next’s Total Platform.
Total acquisition value. £115.2 million (2023)
2020
Complete lender-led debt and capital restructuringStrategyBackground
The business faced a change in ownership and a need to reduce its debt burden after years of private-equity ownership.
Action taken
Control transferred from Bridgepoint to the group’s lenders through Fulham Parent Limited, while the group’s borrowing structure was substantially reduced.
Aftermath
FatFace remained an active private brand under lender ownership before its subsequent acquisition by Next.
Loans and borrowings excluding lease liabilities. £172.4 million → £25.6 million (At restructuring completion and period end in 2020)
2014
Cancel proposed London flotationStrategyBackground
Bridgepoint had planned to sell approximately a quarter of FatFace through a London Stock Exchange listing and hoped to raise £110 million, but prospective investor confidence was insufficient.
Action taken
The proposed flotation was withdrawn.
Aftermath
FatFace continued as a privately owned business and later underwent a lender-led restructuring.
Planned flotation proceeds. (2014)
Recent events
- 2024
FatFace online operations migrate to Next’s Total Platform[1]
Other
FatFace’s online operations moved to a website hosted through Next’s Total Platform following Next’s acquisition of the brand.
- 2023
Next plc agrees to acquire FatFace[1]
M&A
Next announced the acquisition of FatFace for a total value of £115.2 million, with Next taking 97% of the equity and management retaining 3%.
- 2021
Will Crumbie succeeds Liz Evans as chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Will Crumbie replaced Liz Evans as CEO. Crumbie had previously served as FatFace’s CFO and had been with the business for eight years.
- 2020
FatFace completes lender-led debt and capital restructuring[1]
M&A · Other
A restructuring of the Fat Face Group transferred control from majority owner Bridgepoint to the group’s lenders through newly formed Fulham Parent Limited and materially reduced reported borrowings.
Sources6 sources
- 1FatFaceen.wikipedia.org
- 2FatFace official websitefatface.com
- 3FatFace notifies customers of data breachbleepingcomputer.com
- 4Fashion retailer opens new high street store in Dorsetbournemouthecho.co.uk
- 5Fatface opens new store in Altrinchamretailtimes.co.uk
- 6FatFace opens new store in Shaftesburyretailtimes.co.uk
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/fatface · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled