The Brand Group Aims To Expand Roksanda’s Reach While Preserving Its British Luxury Roots
Roksanda Ilincic’s fashion label, founded in 2005, has been acquired by The Brand Group (TBG). Ilincic will stay on as creative director.
TBG, a global brand development and operating business with offices in London and Hong Kong, aims to grow “fashion and home brands on a global scale, with a proven track record of success across various disciplines.”
Damian Hopkins, TBG’s CEO and cofounder, stated he has long admired Roksanda and the designer’s work. The acquisition, he said, will ensure the brand’s future “while celebrating British luxury, and supporting the impact that British creativity can have on the global stage.” He added that the plan is to expand Roksanda’s reach to new audiences “while maintaining loyal customers.”
Hopkins is also a business partner of Savannah Miller, founder of the contemporary clothing brand Vivere. With over 25 years in retail, Hopkins specializes in building consumer and celebrity brands and is a manufacturing and supply chain expert.
Before this acquisition, Ilincic had filed a notice of intent to appoint an administrator, similar to Chapter 11 in the U.S. In a statement, Ilincic described TBG as a “valued partner at a time when Roksanda had been exploring new ways of operating in the existing luxury climate.” She praised TBG’s “experience and intention to champion British creativity,” which she believes will help Roksanda maintain its status as a British luxury brand and support its growth.
London’s small, independent design labels have faced challenges, including a slowdown in luxury demand, the collapse of Matches earlier this year, and pandemic-incurred debts. Designers such as Christopher Kane, Julien Macdonald, and Nicholas Kirkwood shuttered their labels due to the pandemic, which severely impacted the fashion industry by causing store closures, stock repurposing, and canceled wholesale orders. Post-lockdown, rising interest rates further strained the designer business and investor confidence.
Roksanda’s business is expected to continue as usual under TBG. The label, a staple at London Fashion Week, is stocked by retailers including Net-a-porter, Mytheresa, Selfridges, Harrods, Liberty, Le Bon Marché, and Harvey Nichols. Until recently, it also had a shop on Mount Street in Mayfair.
Ilincic, born in Serbia, studied architecture and applied arts in Belgrade before moving to London in the late 1990s to pursue her MA at Central Saint Martins under professor Louise Wilson. She is renowned for her dramatic, color-drenched silhouettes inspired by art, dance, and theater. Ilincic has also participated in the Great Britain campaign promoting British products and craftsmanship abroad. In 2022, she designed costumes for Royal Ballet dancers in Valentino Zucchetti’s world premiere of “Prima” at the Royal Opera House.