Authentic Brands Group Engages United Legwear & Apparel Co. for Managing Ted Baker’s E-commerce Operations
Following the closure of all Ted Baker stores in the U.K., the brand’s website is set to launch under a new e-commerce structure. Brand owner Authentic Brands Group has assigned the handling of e-commerce operations for Ted Baker in Europe and the U.K. to United Legwear & Apparel Co. The closure of all remaining physical outlets of Ted Baker in the U.K. was announced earlier this month when discussions about a potential takeover of U.K. operations by Fraser Group allegedly broke down.
This fall, a fresh website, Tedbaker.com, is expected to be launched.
United Legwear, a long-standing partner of ABG and owner of Ted Baker’s intellectual property, is currently one of the three licensees aiding in the relaunch of the Ted Baker business in the U.S. and Canada. It has been stated that they will design and manufacture various Ted Baker products including men’s sportswear, golf, and denim wear. Moreover, they will also manage all wholesale and concession shops, along with the operation of the Ted Baker e-commerce site in the U.S. and Canada.
Jarrod Weber, global president of sports and lifestyle at Authentic said, “Consumers value and appreciate the Ted Baker brand and its British style. We have had a strong start to our partnership with United Legwear and we couldn’t be more pleased to have a solid partner to continue Ted Baker’s story in the place where the brand began. United Legwear’s proven track record in translating global brands for the U.K. market makes them the ideal partner for expanding Ted Baker’s online presence in these important markets. Together, we are focused on executing a digital commerce strategy that ensures Ted Baker’s distinctive products continue to find their way into the closets of discerning consumers worldwide.”
Chris Volpe, chief operating officer at United Legwear, stated that the objective of the company is to develop “a seamless and engaging online shopping experience that exceeds the expectations of Ted Baker’s customers. We are confident that this relaunch will reignite excitement for the brand and set the stage for a bright and prosperous future.”
Ted Baker has faced multiple restructurings in both America and Europe in the current year as ABG is keen on rebooting the brand. In the month of March, Ted Baker’s U.K. and European retail and e-commerce businesses went into administration merely six weeks following a souring relationship with a local partner, leading to the closure of 15 stores and resulting in a loss of 245 jobs in the U.K., and ultimately leading to the shuttering of all its retail operations in the region.
In April 2023, ABG had entered a partnership agreement with AARC for operating Ted Baker’s more than 120 retail outlets and concessions and the brand’s online business. ABG alleged that AARC failed to fulfil its financial commitments and hence was immediately removed as a stakeholder in the Ted Baker business.
In late April, the Ted Baker Group, which included Ted Baker Canada and Ted Baker Inc., along with OSL Fashion Services Canada and OSL Fashion Services Inc. (a Canada-based firm specializing in retail operations, distribution, and digital marketing), submitted court-monitored restructuring proceedings and designated Alvarez & Marsal Canada as the observer of the business and financial affairs of the company. Concurrently, the Ted Baker Group submitted Chapter 15 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York. This step is a motion to recognize the proceedings of a foreign nation, in this case, Canada. Consequently, its entire staff, comprising 380 individuals in the U.S. and 280 in Canada, was terminated, its 34 stores began to liquidate and the e-commerce site was also closed down.
Ted Baker was established by Ray Kelvin in 1987 and for decades has been a recognizable brand in the British retail market. Nevertheless, Kelvin quit in 2019 following allegations of harrassment from his staff, and the company subsequently faced a sequence of crises. In the following years, it issued a series of profit warnings and experienced accounting and management problems.