Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Despite challenges Boohoo boss remains on track to grow brand

Despite challenges Boohoo boss remains on track to grow brand

RECOVERING from challenges and controversies was tough for Boohoo boss John Lyttle, but he remains committed to grow the online fast-fashion brand, The Times reported.

"It was tough. There’s no point in saying it was easy, it was tough,” he said about the past year.


Lyttle, 54, managed the firm through the pandemic, dealt with the sudden death of his 20-year-old son and a scandal about alleged illegal conditions in Boohoo's Leicester supply chain.

Despite all these challenges, the online retailer grew 41 per cent last year.

“...we managed our way through Covid, we had all the media and investor attention last summer but we also acquired six new brands, opened two warehouses and a London office . . . As I keep telling people, ‘If you want to grow you’re gonna have to take on operations like that',” he said.

“Boohoo works on speed. We can replenish within days and weeks so even if we get something totally wrong, it’s not a disaster,” Lyttle added.

Cofounded by Mahmud Kamani and Carol Kane in 2006, Boohoo became an online platform of 13 fashion brands last year, compared with the one womenswear brand  when it was floated in 2014.

He scoffed at the rhetoric that online retail is responsible for the decline of the high street, the newspaper said.

“It’s like saying the motorcar is destroying the horse and cart. Things are progressing and everyone has to progress with that,” he added.

Meanwhile, Boohoo suffered a big blow when an investigation revealed textile workers were paid £3.50 an hour in unsafe conditions in Leicester.

A report by Alison Levitt QC, commissioned and made public by the retailer, underlined that senior bosses knew about the unacceptable working conditions and poor treatment of workers.

He added that the Boohoo’s decision to make the report public highlights the company’s commitment to fix the problem.

Boohoo strategy

“If we get something totally wrong, it’s not a disaster,” Lyttle said of Boohoo’s strategy.

He further said the company had already started to fix its UK supply chain before the issue came to limelight, but the pandemic delayed its efforts.

“The issue we really had was unauthorised subcontracting. We should have had better controls on that, that was the big issue,” he added.

To fix the problem, Boohoo culled its Leicester supply chain. It dropped more than 60, and is currently working with 66 larger factories that can work more effectively at one place.

The firm used to make 50 per cent of its clothes in the UK a few years ago, which has now shrunk to 20 per cent. It now relies more on overseas suppliers that can accommodate its rapid growth.

Moreover, Boohoo is building a “model factory” in Leicester this year to prove that it is possible to manufacture in the UK and pay staff a fair wage.

“There will always be something that we could have done quicker, there’ll always be something that needs a bit more time and effort. But it’s about how we approach it and how we learn as we grow,” he added.

More For You

single-use vapes-iStock

Analysis by Material Focus estimates that 8.2 million vapes are discarded or littered each week in the UK—equivalent to 13 every second. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Shops told to clear single-use vapes before ban starts on June 1

SHOPS across the UK have until 1 June 2025 to sell off remaining stocks of single-use vapes before a nationwide ban comes into force.

The legislation, confirmed last year, follows a government consultation that showed strong support for restricting their sale and supply.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump’s Promise: TikTok Deal Before April 5 to Avoid Ban

This is not the first time that TikTok has been under scrutiny in the United States

Getty

Trump promises TikTok deal before April 5 to prevent ban

As the clock ticks towards the April 5 deadline, the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, with President Donald Trump promising that a deal to resolve the app's ongoing issues will be struck before the deadline. The central issue at hand is whether TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, will be forced to divest the popular social media platform or face a ban in the U.S.

In a statement made aboard Air Force One late on Sunday, Trump confirmed that there was "tremendous interest" from potential buyers looking to acquire TikTok. He expressed his desire for the platform to "remain alive" and emphasized that multiple buyers were keen on striking a deal, suggesting that a solution would be reached before the deadline.

Keep ReadingShow less
Primark-London-Getty

During his 15-year tenure, Marchant expanded Primark’s store network to more than 450 locations across 17 countries in Europe and the United States. (Photo: Reuters)

Primark chief Paul Marchant steps down after misconduct probe

PAUL MARCHANT, the head of fashion retailer Primark, has resigned with immediate effect after admitting to an "error of judgment" in his behaviour towards a woman in a social setting.

Associated British Foods (AB Foods), Primark's parent company, announced his resignation on Monday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jaguar’s bold gamble: Can it woo young, wealthy drivers with a £123k EV?

Jaguar’s bold gamble: Can it woo young, wealthy drivers with a £123k EV?

JAGUAR’S ambition to seduce younger, richer drivers was on full display in Paris with a presentation of its newest prototype, the Type 00, which promises all-electric luxury... at a steep price.

The low-slung, muscular-looking concept car presented to European reporters last Friday (21) prefigures a production model expected mid-2026 at a base cost of €150,000 (£123,472.8).

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Trump-Getty

Trump has suggested the possibility of a 'great' trade deal that could help the UK mitigate the impact of tariffs he has pledged to introduce. (Photo: Getty Images)

Starmer, Trump talk trade deal progress in 'productive' discussion

KEIR STARMER and Donald Trump spoke on Sunday about ongoing UK-US trade negotiations, with Downing Street describing the talks as "productive."

Since leaving the European Union, the UK has been working to secure a trade agreement with the United States. Successive British governments have pursued a deal, but it has remained elusive.

Keep ReadingShow less