All Clarks articles
Footwear specialist Clarks was founded in 1825 by brothers Cyrus and James Clark in Street, Somerset, where it is headquartered to this day. The retailer is best known for its suede Desert Boots, which was designed by James Clark’s grandson, Nathan, and launched in the 1950s. Until 2020, Clarks was the oldest family-owned business in the UK, but the pandemic forced the Clark family to relinquish control. Private equity firm Lion Rock and Chinese entrepreneur Li Ning wrested control from the founding family, in a deal valuing Clarks at £200m.
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Analysis
Ranking: The 30 fastest-growing fashion retailers revealed
It has been a tough few years for fashion, and retailers have been battling to lead on style, value and quality despite skyrocketing return rates, competition for customer loyalty and bold sustainability targets.
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News
Clarks sales slip as supply chain issues take their toll
British footwear retailer Clarks has posted a decline in profits after tax and turnover for the 48 weeks to December 2022 as supply chain issues took a toll on trading.
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Analysis
Fashion Forward: The top 30 fashion retailers by 2026
Fashion retail has experienced a turbulent time, but retailers investing in elevation, partnerships, acquisitions and focused transformation are set to win. Our Retail Week analysts reveal which retailers will lead the sector in 2026.
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News
Clarks poaches new managing director from Under Armour
British footwear retailer Clarks has named former Under Armour global vice-president of retail Bob Neville as its new managing director for the UK and Ireland.
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News
Clarks appoints new chief executive as it ‘looks forward to new phase’
Footwear specialist Clarks has named Jonathan Ram as chief executive as it seeks to rekindle success.
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Clarks boss steps down after just nine months at the helm
Clarks chief executive Victor Herrero has left his role to take on greater responsibilities at parent company LionRock.
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News
Clarks slumps to record losses due to Covid-19 restrictions
Footwear specialist Clarks has slumped to record losses in its more recent full-year results due to coronavirus restrictions and store closures.
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News
Marks & Spencer adds new fashion brands to online stable
M&S is to introduce six more fashion brands to its online platform as it builds its ecommerce operations.
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News
M&S launches Clarks tie-up in kids’ and casual clothing push
Marks & Spencer will start selling Clarks children’s shoes this week as part of its shift away from special occasion clothing.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Clarks (Overview)
Clarks is among the largest footwear companies in the world. The footwear specialist trades through some 1,120 stores, of which 295 or so are based in the UK and Ireland. It is also active in wholesaling in its regions. The past few years have been a difficult trading period for Clarks and the situation has been exacerbated by the pandemic.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Clarks (Financials)
Clarks delivered group revenues of £978.3m in the truncated FY2022 despite global supply chain issues affecting the footwear retailer’s first half. These resulted in late delivery of product, intermittent quality issues and reduced availability of stock.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Clarks (SWOT)
Clarks is the UK’s largest specialist footwear retailer and has a global profile synonymous with quality. The company has high brand recognition in North America and a more premium position overseas than at home. However, retail sales have been volatile in recent years and the brand needs to ensure it remains relevant.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Clarks (Strategy)
Under new ownership, in which Hong Kong-based private equity firm LionRock Capital completed a £100 million acquisition of a majority stake in the retailer, Clark’s strategy is supporting its post-pandemic recovery and comprises five key pillars.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Clarks (People)
Jonathan Ram joins Clark’s from US business HanesBrands following a period of upheaval, which saw much of the leadership team including chief executive officer Giorgio Presca, chief commercial officer Massimo Barzaghi and chief people officer Difna Blamey resign from the business.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Ecommerce at Clarks
The UK and US are the retailer’s biggest online drivers. All websites have been consolidated to a single global ecommerce platform, using SAP’s Hybris technology to improve look, feel, functionality and support channel connectivity. Offering its customers more personalisation is also a priority for Clarks.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Customer and marketing at Clarks
Clarks’ overall brand strategy is to become the leading choice of everyday footwear on a global scale, by remaining the brand of choice for children’s shoes while becoming the first choice for adults. This second aim is particularly challenging as the Clarks’ name is not perceived as a brand at the cutting edge of footwear fashion.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Stores at Clarks
In recent years, there has been a steady reduction in the total number of outlets operated in the UK and Ireland, with the closure of underperforming stores and concessions. This is set to continue as the company aims to rapidly exit its underperforming sites. At the same time Clarks is aiming to operate “bigger and bolder” store formats to attract a younger market.
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Retail Navigator Analysis
Technology strategy at Clarks
Clarks says its long-term goal is to simplify and streamline its technology infrastructure by 2025 with an eye to making the business more agile. It aims to ready the business digitally for the coming decades and will prioritise its investments for areas with maximum ROI.