Spirit of the Andes

Spirit of the Andes is a British specialist clothing retailer and mail-order business focused on garments and accessories made from alpaca fibre, Pima cotton, and other natural materials. The company was established in 1993 and originally operated from Nether Burrow in Lancashire. Its assortment and retail identity were built around South American textile traditions, working with clothing designers and knitters in South America and bringing their products to customers in the United Kingdom and other markets. The business historically combined catalogue and telephone ordering with physical retail. At different times it operated shops in several parts of the United Kingdom, giving the brand a presence in tourist, rural, and craft-oriented locations as well as through remote sales. Its products included alpaca knitwear, Pima cotton clothing, scarves, hats, gloves, and other apparel accessories. The emphasis was on the softness, warmth, durability, and distinctive natural-fibre characteristics of alpaca and high-quality cotton rather than on mass-market fashion cycles. Spirit of the Andes entered administration on 20 July 2015, an event that resulted in the loss of 62 jobs. The brand and business were subsequently acquired by Richard Hartley, who owned The Alpaca Collection, another retailer specializing in alpaca and Pima cotton apparel. Hartley reopened Spirit of the Andes shops in Bakewell, Holt, and Hornby and continued sales through The Alpaca Collection's headquarters in Stratford-upon-Avon. The business also maintained concession arrangements at selected independent visitor attractions, craft centres, and specialist retailers, including House Of Marbles in Bovey Tracey, Devon; the Jinney Ring Craft Centre in Hanbury, Worcestershire; County Classics in Helmsley and Malton, North Yorkshire; and Asarti in Leiden, the Netherlands. In 2018, Spirit of the Andes was acquired by The Cashmere Centre Ltd. after Hartley retired. The company became part of a wider specialist natural-fibre retail group that also owns or operates brands and businesses including The Pearl Company, Tesoro by Design, and James Alexander Clothing. Under this ownership, Spirit of the Andes continued online and telephone sales and issued twice-yearly catalogues covering spring/summer and autumn/winter alpaca and Pima cotton collections. Its later physical footprint was more limited than during its earlier multi-shop period, with one retail unit located beside the company's offices between Buckingham and Milton Keynes. The brand's business model combines direct retail, mail order, telephone ordering, and selective concessions. Its customer proposition is based on specialist product knowledge and access to natural-fibre clothing that is less commonly found in mainstream department stores. Although its name references the Andes, the business is British in its retail base and corporate operations, while its sourcing and design relationships connect it to South American producers and textile workers.

Spirit of the Andes was founded in 1993 as a specialist British retailer of alpaca knitwear, Pima cotton clothing, and accessories. The business was initially based at Nether Burrow in Lancashire. Its name and product proposition reflected a commercial connection to the Andes and to South American textile production, while its principal customer-facing operation was in the United Kingdom. The company worked with designers and knitters in South America and sold their products to British and international customers. During its earlier development, Spirit of the Andes used a mixed retail model. In addition to mail-order and telephone sales, it operated shops in several locations around the United Kingdom. The physical stores helped present the business as a specialist destination for natural-fibre clothing, while catalogues and remote ordering allowed it to serve customers beyond the areas where it had shops. Its product ranges were centred on alpaca garments and accessories, complemented by Pima cotton clothing. These materials provided the basis for the brand's differentiation from conventional general apparel retailers. On 20 July 2015, Spirit of the Andes entered administration. The insolvency process led to the loss of 62 jobs and represented a major interruption to the company's previous retail operation. The brand was then purchased by Richard Hartley, the owner of The Alpaca Collection, a Stratford-upon-Avon retailer with a related focus on alpaca and Pima cotton clothing. Following the purchase, Hartley reopened Spirit of the Andes shops in Bakewell, Holt, and Hornby. Sales also continued from The Alpaca Collection's headquarters in Stratford-upon-Avon. The revived business used a combination of direct retail and concession distribution. Concession locations included House Of Marbles in Bovey Tracey, Devon; the Jinney Ring Craft Centre in Hanbury, Worcestershire; County Classics in Helmsley and Malton, North Yorkshire; and Asarti in Leiden in the Netherlands. These locations were consistent with the company's specialist and destination-shopping orientation, placing its products in craft, visitor, and independent retail environments. A further ownership change took place in 2018, when The Cashmere Centre Ltd. acquired Spirit of the Andes after Hartley retired. The new owner also owned or controlled other specialist businesses, including The Pearl Company, Tesoro by Design, and James Alexander Clothing. Under The Cashmere Centre, Spirit of the Andes continued to operate as a natural-fibre clothing brand rather than being absorbed into a mass-market fashion chain. The later business continued online and by telephone and produced two catalogues each year, one for spring/summer and another for autumn/winter. These catalogues presented alpaca and Pima cotton collections to the brand's established mail-order customer base. Its physical presence became more concentrated, with a retail shop located next to the company's offices between Buckingham and Milton Keynes. The available reference material does not identify a current managing director, founder, detailed financial results, or a standalone corporate website. The brand's documented trajectory is therefore best understood as that of a small specialist retailer that survived an administration, changed ownership twice, and retained its focus on alpaca and Pima cotton products.

• 2018

  Acquisition by The Cashmere Centre Ltd.

  [1]Spirit of the Andesen.wikipedia.org

  The Cashmere Centre Ltd. acquires the business after Richard Hartley retires.

• 2015

  Administration and ownership transition

  [1]Spirit of the Andesen.wikipedia.org

  The company enters administration on 20 July; 62 jobs are lost, and the brand is subsequently acquired by Richard Hartley.

• 2015

  Selected shops reopen

  [1]Spirit of the Andesen.wikipedia.org

  Following the acquisition, Spirit of the Andes shops reopen in Bakewell, Holt, and Hornby, with additional sales from Stratford-upon-Avon.

• 1993

  Spirit of the Andes is founded

  [1]Spirit of the Andesen.wikipedia.org

  The specialist clothing business is established, initially operating from Nether Burrow in Lancashire.

A specialist natural-fibre clothing retailer offering alpaca knitwear, Pima cotton apparel, and accessories through mail order, telephone ordering, online sales, shops, and selected concessions.

• Knitwear

  Alpaca knitwear

  The brand's core assortment consists of alpaca-based knitted garments, positioned around the fibre's warmth, softness, and natural character. The range has been sold through catalogues, shops, concessions, telephone ordering, and online channels.

• Apparel

  Pima cotton clothing

  Spirit of the Andes offers clothing made from Pima cotton alongside its alpaca ranges. The products form part of the brand's natural-fibre proposition and appear in its seasonal spring/summer and autumn/winter collections.

• Fashion accessories

  Accessories

  The retailer also sells accessories associated with its clothing offer, including items such as scarves and other alpaca- or cotton-related apparel accessories. Specific current product names and quantities are not documented in the available sources.

• 2018

  Acquisition by The Cashmere Centre Ltd.M&A

  Background

  Richard Hartley retired after owning and operating the business from the 2015 rescue.

  Action taken

  The Cashmere Centre Ltd. purchased Spirit of the Andes and incorporated it into a wider group of specialist clothing businesses.

  Aftermath

  The company continued online, telephone, and catalogue sales, later maintaining a single shop beside its offices between Buckingham and Milton Keynes.

  Source

• 2015

  Acquisition following administrationM&A

  Background

  Spirit of the Andes entered administration in July 2015, disrupting its previous retail operations and resulting in 62 job losses.

  Action taken

  Richard Hartley, owner of The Alpaca Collection, acquired the brand and continued its specialist alpaca and Pima cotton retail proposition.

  Aftermath

  Shops in Bakewell, Holt, and Hornby reopened, and the business also sold through Stratford-upon-Avon and selected concession locations.

  Source

• 2015

  Reopening of selected retail locationsStrategy

  Background

  After the change in ownership, the business sought to preserve a physical retail presence while continuing remote sales.

  Action taken

  The reopened operation combined shops, telephone ordering, mail order, and sales from The Alpaca Collection's headquarters.

  Aftermath

  The brand retained a multi-channel specialist-retail model, supplemented by concessions at craft and visitor-oriented venues.

  Source

• 2018

  The Cashmere Centre Ltd. acquires Spirit of the Andes[1]Spirit of the Andesen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Leadership change

  The Cashmere Centre Ltd. bought Spirit of the Andes following Richard Hartley's retirement.

• 2015

  Spirit of the Andes enters administration[1]Spirit of the Andesen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  The retailer entered administration on 20 July 2015, with 62 employees losing their jobs.

• 2015

  Richard Hartley acquires Spirit of the Andes and reopens shops[1]Spirit of the Andesen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Richard Hartley, owner of The Alpaca Collection, bought the brand after its administration and reopened shops in Bakewell, Holt, and Hornby.

1. 1Spirit of the Andesen.wikipedia.org