Reiss was founded in 1971 by David Reiss, originally selling men’s suits. Since 2000, Reiss began to sell womenswear. Products lie at the heart of the retailer’s strategy as it seeks to embody David Reiss’ belief in timelessness rather than fast fashion. All clothing is own label and not overtly branded. The retailer is run in a similar way to designer fashion houses, with an in-house atelier at its central London headquarters and 20 in-house designers. Its focus is on good quality wardrobe staples with a slight design quirk. Prices can reach up to £1,500 for womenswear items, placing Reiss at the top end of the high street market. In the UK, Reiss operates around 20 concessions, mostly in John Lewis, as well as around 60 standalone stores. It is focusing on international growth, opening 40 new points of sale worldwide in the past year. It recently opened 12 concessions in Nordstrom stores in the US.
Fashion giant Next has confirmed the purchase of private equity firm Warburg Pincus’ 34% stake in Reiss, upping the retailer’s total stake to 72%.
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.
Fashion giant Next is in talks with private equity house Elliott Advisors regarding the sale of its 51% stake in Reiss, according to Sky News.
Fashion giant Next is considering the sale of its 51% stake in Reiss in a deal that would value the fashion brand at more than £500m.
Fashion retailer Reiss has signed with the McLaren Racing Formula 1 team to be its “official travel wear partner” in a new multi-year deal.
Advertisement
