Kurt Geiger reports impressive sales figures and celebrates this with the launch of a new campaign starring Emily Ratajkowski.
Kurt Geiger has unveiled a new campaign starring Emily Ratajkowski for its latest collection, building on an exceptional year that saw the fashion powerhouse grow revenues 34% to over £40.5m. The British brand’s annual revenue rose 10% to £427m in the year to February 2024, driven by growing global demand for its ‘affordable luxury’ handbags, now Kurt Geiger’s best-selling products. The fashion company, which was founded in London in 1963, is also growing rapidly in North America, with the US now its biggest market. Since 2018, gross revenue in North America has increased 100-fold, from £3m to £300m.
The FW24 campaign featuring Emily Ratajkowski introduces Kurt Geiger’s latest design, the Chelsea collection, named after the West London neighbourhood where London’s fashion scene first emerged in the 1960s on the King’s Road. The project is a testament to Kurt Geiger’s continued evolution and strong growth as the British designer launches a new classic for his rapidly expanding clientele.
In the past five months, sales in the US alone have grown 104%. The accessories label is now expanding its US store network, having opened its first store in Orlando in May, with three new stores to follow in New York, Los Angeles and San Diego this fall. The brand aims to open 50 US stores in the next few years. When asked about the secret to Kurt Geiger’s success, Kurt Geiger CEO Neil Clifford said: “It’s simple: we stand out from the crowd! Our brand has a unique design – playful, colourful and instantly recognisable. That, combined with a strong British DNA and an incredible value proposition – we’ve filled a void with bold, maximalist silhouettes at an affordable price. 2024 is on track to exceed all of our most ambitious forecasts, with our global footprint growing exponentially, driven by handbags… now our biggest category across all markets. Not bad for an independent British brand, operating in a pretty challenging economic environment!”
Kurt Geiger enjoyed its most profitable month in history over the festive period, with sales up 15% to €53.5m in December 2023. The company has invested heavily in sustainable success, opening eight new stores in the UK during the year, including Kurt Geiger’s gleaming 900sqm global flagship on Oxford Street in London. The store has exceeded sales expectations since opening in October and is on track to become the most profitable store in the brand’s history.
Kurt Geiger also has a strong presence in global department stores including Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom in the US, Harrods and Selfridges in the UK and Galeries Lafayette in France. Kurt Geiger’s kaleidoscope tunnel of stained glass windows in gold, bubblegum pink and cerulean blue dominated the atrium of Galeries Lafayette on the Champs-Élysées this spring.
The accessories label’s business success has seen Kurt Geiger donate over £1.5 million to his Kindness Foundation, which was launched in September 2022 to donate a percentage of every sale to charities supporting young people in the creative industries. This year, the brand launched its Business by Design academy, a groundbreaking free education programme for young Londoners.
Kurt Geiger has been owned by the London private equity firm Cinven and its management team since 2015.
Benelux Agency Fashion Club 70
Kurt Geiger is represented in the Benelux by Fashion Club 70, a leading agency in European fashion distribution. Based in Antwerp, Fashion Club 70 brings some 50 top brands to the region and serves a professional network of more than 1,100 clients.
