{{Short description|British online women's clothing retailer}} '''Karen Millen''' is a brand owned by [[Debenhams Group]]. The brand specialises in [[tailoring]], [[Coat (clothing)|coats]] and [[evening gown|evening wear]]. It was acquired in 2019 following the collapse of Karen Millen Fashions Ltd, a company that operated a chain of clothing stores in many countries worldwide. The company was originally founded in 1981 by British entrepreneur fashion designer Karen Millen. She sold it in 2004 and was not subsequently involved in businesses bearing her name.
==Foundation and growth== [[File:Karen Millen at The 4th Asian Awards-2.png|thumb|Designer Karen Millen at the 4th Asian Awards]] [[File:Karen millen fashion logo.png|thumb|Karen Millen's former logo]] English fashion designer Karen Millen (born September 29, 1961)<ref>https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/people-watching-karen-millen-nplbdsl63</ref> studied fashion at the [[Medway College of Design]], now known as [[University for the Creative Arts]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ucreative.ac.uk/alumni/karen-millen|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202031354/http://ucreative.ac.uk/alumni/karen-millen|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 2, 2010|title = UCA | University for the Creative Arts}}</ref> She founded the Karen Millen company in 1981, partnered with Kevin Stanford. With a loan of £100, the pair bought one thousand metres of white cotton and began manufacturing and selling white shirts to their friends.<ref>[https://www.karenmillen.com/about-us.html About Karen Millen - Womens Designer Clothes - Karen Millen]</ref> A party-plan network followed, and in 1983, they opened their first store in Maidstone, [[Kent]], which was followed a few years later by branches in [[Tunbridge Wells]], [[Brighton]], [[Guildford]] and [[London]].{{cn|date=October 2022}}
The company continued to expand throughout the 1990s, opening dozens of retail stores. In June 2004, the founder sold the business to [[Mosaic Fashions]], a company from Iceland, had no further involvement in the Karen Millen company and under the terms of the sale was not permitted to use her name for other ventures.
== After departure of the founder == In 2009, Mosaic Fashions ceased trading, and the brand transferred to [[Aurora Fashions]]. The Karen Millen brand was spun-out from Aurora Fashions in 2011, remaining under the ownership of Aurora's owner, [[Kaupthing Bank]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ruddick|first1=Graham|title=Aurora moves closer to break-up as Karen Millen boss departs|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11319553/Aurora-moves-closer-to-break-up-as-Karen-Millen-boss-departs.html|accessdate=5 September 2015|work=The Telegraph|date=3 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Charlie|title=Mixed trading conditions for Aurora Fashions|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/mixed-trading-conditions-for-aurora-fashions-1.2497110|accessdate=8 March 2016|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=15 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Roberts|first1=Lauretta|title=Karen Millen founder loses battle for right to use her name|url=https://www.theindustry.fashion/karen-millen-founder-loses-battle-for-right-to-use-her-name/|accessdate=22 October 2016|work=The Industry|date=17 August 2016}}</ref>
In 2016, the Karen Millen company had 84 standalone stores and 46 concessions in the [[UK]] and [[Ireland]]. Internationally it had 16 company-owned stores and 57 franchise stores in 23 countries. <ref>[http://www.baugurgroup.com/?PageID=530&itemid=d8f6c4b1-b009-435e-91f1-7a2be365be6d Baugur Group | Details | Karen Millen]</ref>
The Karen Millen business acquired the assets of its sister company, Coast, out of administration in October 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Karen Millen Buys Coast Assets as Fashion Chain Goes out of Business|url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/karen-millen-buys-coast-assets-as-fashion-chain-goes-out-of-business|last=|first=|date=11 October 2018|website=Business Of Fashion|access-date=19 May 2020}}</ref> In August 2019, the two companies' online businesses were bought out of administration by internet retailer [[Boohoo.com|Boohoo]] for £18 million. Only the online employees were taken on by Boohoo and the standalone retail stores eventually closed.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Naomi Rovnick |author2=Jonathan Eley |author3=Nic Fildes |date=6 August 2019 |title=Boohoo snaps up Karen Millen and Coast in £18.2m pre-pack deal |url=https://www.ft.com/content/180606b2-b812-11e9-96bd-8e884d3ea203 |work=Financial Times |access-date=16 April 2021}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * {{official website|http://www.karenmillen.com}}
[[Category:Alumni of the University for the Creative Arts]] [[Category:Clothing retailers of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Clothing retailers of the United States]] [[Category:Clothing retailers of Ireland]] [[Category:Clothing retailers of Denmark]] [[Category:Danish companies established in 1981]] [[Category:Retail companies established in 1981]] [[Category:Companies based in Oxfordshire]] [[Category:Companies that have entered administration in the United Kingdom]]