Ted Baker is a British, designer-led, fashion brand, offering aspirational clothing and accessories in a distinct, quirky style. Founded by Ray Kelvin in 1988 in Glasgow, its ultimate aim is to become a global lifestyle brand. Following harassment claims against Kelvin, which he denies, he resigned in 2019, and was replaced with Lindsay Page. Ted Baker operates around 560 stores and concessions across the UK, continental Europe, North America and Asia, with a supporting ecommerce business. Until recently, the retailer eschewed traditional marketing routes in favour of “word of mouth”. Its unusual design ideas have translated into its new campaigns, however, such as interactive shoppable videos, and a proactive use of social media. Ted Baker seeks to drive growth internationally, investing in digital capabilities and infrastructure. This included the purchase of its iconic central London head office at The Ugly Brown Building in 2015 and a European distribution centre in the Midlands.
Ted Baker has entered a licensing agreement to release its lingerie and nightwear collections in partnership with Next.
Ted Baker founder Ray Kelvin will have a role to play in the running of the business for the first time since he quit as boss amid a “forced hugging” scandal.
Ted Baker has reported “resilient trading” despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and is encouraged by progress on its transformation plan.
Marks & Spencer is understood to be making hundreds of job cuts this week as fellow fashion operators Ted Baker and Harvey Nichols also brace for redundancies.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, customer needs and behaviours have shifted rapidly in just a few months.
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