{{Short description|British fashion retailer}} {{Use British English|date=October 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox company | name = New Look Retailers Ltd | logo = New_Look_logo_2012.svg | type = Private limited company | founded = {{Start date and age|1969|df=yes}}<br /> Taunton, Somerset,<br />UK | founder = Tom Singh | hq_location_city = Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom: (Corporate Services) <br />London, United Kingdom: (Creative, Digital and Productive departments) | num_locations = Approx. 570 (2021)<ref name="annual2018">{{cite web|url=https://www.newlookgroup.com/system/files/uploads/financialdocs/fy18-annual-report-12-06-2018.pdf|title=New Look Retail Group Limited Annual Report 2018|access-date=8 June 2019|archive-date=2 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302203130/https://www.newlookgroup.com/system/files/uploads/financialdocs/fy18-annual-report-12-06-2018.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = {{ubl|Paul Gilbert - non-executive director<ref name="LeadershipTeam">{{cite web|url=https://www.newlookgroup.com/investors/leadership-team|title=New Look Group Leadership Team}}</ref>|Richard Collyer - CFO<ref name="LeadershipTeam" />|Helen Connolly - executive chairman<ref name="LeadershipTeam" />}} | industry = Retail | products = Clothing | services = | revenue = {{profit}} GBP £1,528 million (2014)<ref name="annual2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.apax.com/media/485716/new-look-annual_report_2014.pdf|title=New Look Retail Group Limited Annual Report 2014}}</ref> | operating_income = {{profit}} GBP £805.9 million (2014)<ref name="annual2014" /> | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = Brait SA | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsidiaries = | website = {{URL|www.newlook.com/uk}} | footnotes = }}
'''New Look''' is a British global fashion retailer with a chain of high street shops. It was founded in 1969. The chain sells womenswear, menswear, and clothing for teens. New Look was owned by private equity groups Apax Partners and Permira, and founder Tom Singh,<ref>{{cite news |last=Moulds |first=Josephine |date=4 June 2013 |title=New Look returns to profit |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/jun/04/new-look-profit |access-date=27 October 2014}}</ref> until May 2015 when it was acquired by Brait SE (SA) for £780 million.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Farrell |first=Sean |date=15 May 2015 |title=New Look snapped up by South African tycoon |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/may/15/new-look-deal-south-african-tycoon |access-date=10 October 2015}}</ref>
==History== New Look was founded by Tom Singh in Taunton, Somerset, in 1969.<ref name=":0" /> Since then the company has expanded and previously operated across a chain of over 900 shops internationally, having opened in Ireland in 2003,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=O'Donovan |first=Brian |date=2025-02-20 |title=New Look to exit Ireland, 347 workers facing redundancy |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2025/0220/1497847-new-look-to-go-into-liquidation/ |journal=RTE |language=en}}</ref> Belgium in 2006, and also having had a presence in France, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, China, Germany, Russia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan and Poland, and having had a staff of over 18,000.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} The group had a turnover of £1,147 million in 2008 with profits of £180 million.<ref>''Sunday Times'' Top Track 100, 29 June 2008.</ref>[[File:New Look - Market Place (geograph 2075619).jpg|thumb|left|New Look, Pontefract]]In 2004, the company withdrew from the stock market and was taken back to being a privately owned business by founder Tom Singh and chief executive Phil Wrigley, and private equity investors Permira, Apax Partners and Quillian Investments.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2011-06-08 |title=New Look pretax wiped out as sales drop |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-newlook-idUKTRE75713220110608 |access-date=2023-06-21}}</ref>
On 26 April 2007, a fire occurred at a New Look branch in Oxford Street, London.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2009-11-25 |title=New Look fire brings record fine |language=en-GB |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8379503.stm |access-date=2023-06-08}}</ref> The subsequent investigation revealed an extensive catalogue of failings relating to fire safety precautions and measures. The company subsequently pleaded guilty to criminal charges and on 25 November 2009, was fined a total of £400,000 with £136,052 costs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebigredguide.com/news/uk-high-street-firm-new-look-fined-for-serious-breaches-of-fire-safety.html |title=UK high-street firm New Look fined for serious breaches of fire safety | Fire News |publisher=TheBigRedGuide |access-date=13 October 2013}}</ref> In 2010, the fines were upheld by the Court of Appeal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewca/crim/2010/1268 |title=New Look Retailers Ltd v London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority [2010] EWCA Crim 1268 (16 June 2010) |publisher=National Archives |access-date=27 December 2022}}</ref>[[File:New Look, Cross Gates Centre (24th November 2019).jpg|thumb|New look in the current branding and revive refit in Cross Gates, Leeds in 2019.]]In 2008, New Look continued their expansion in the UK and opened their largest shop at the time in Liverpool One Shopping Centre.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} In February 2009, the company's fortieth anniversary year, New Look opened their first shop in Russia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newlook.co.uk/navigation/corporate.aspx |title=Home |publisher=New Look |access-date=13 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091030074711/http://www.newlook.co.uk/navigation/corporate.aspx |archive-date=30 October 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In July 2010, New Look opened its three-hundredth shop in Glasgow Fort Shopping Park. The shop is {{convert|18000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}. It was built on the site of a former Borders unit.
The largest New Look shop in the world opened in Dublin, Ireland on 4 November 2010, located at the Jervis Shopping Centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/biggest-new-look-store-launches-in-dublin-179560.php |title=Press Release - Biggest New Look Store Launches in Dublin |publisher=24-7pressrelease.com |date=5 November 2010 |access-date=13 October 2013}}</ref> It was the twenty-ninth New Look shop in Ireland. Many of the outlets in Singapore have been closed, except CityLink Mall, City Square Mall and the latest opened shop, Republic Polytechnic. CityLink Mall and City Square Mall was closed down in October 2019 before COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2015, New Look was purchased by Brait SE; had 94 shops in China, and 852 globally.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-10-20 |title=New Look seeks fashion edge in China with local designs |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-retail-idUSKCN12K2TT |access-date=2023-06-14}}</ref>
In June 2017, New Look launched their "My Life My Style My Look" campaign<ref>{{Cite web |title=My Life My Style My Look {{!}} New Look |url=https://www.newlook.com/row/my-life-style-look |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=New Look |language=en}}</ref> and made history when they announced British model Georgie Aldous as their first ever male model in a full face of make-up.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-06-02 |title=Male beauty influencer and YouTube star Georgie Aldous from Gorleston is first man in makeup to feature in New Look fashion campaign |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/20835199.male-beauty-influencer-youtube-star-georgie-aldous-gorleston-first-man-makeup-feature-new-look-fashion-campaign/ |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=Eastern Daily Press |language=en}}</ref>
In 2018, New Look closed 60 shops in the United Kingdom and withdrew from international markets.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-06-25 |title=New Look losses mount as Brexit, rains keep shoppers away |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-new-look-results-idUKKCN1TQ0UZ |access-date=2023-06-06}}</ref> In 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, New Look filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bankruptcy-law/u-k-retailer-new-look-files-for-chapter-15-bankruptcy-in-u-s?context=search&index=106|title= U.K. Retailer New Look Files for Chapter 15 Bankruptcy in U.S.|date=September 28, 2020|access-date=October 16, 2025|website=Bloomberg Law|language=en}}</ref>
In February 2025, the High Court of Ireland appointed provisional liquidators to New Look's Irish operations after substantial losses over the previous four years. On 20 February 2025, it was announced that New Look was to exit the Irish market.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Look Irish stores to open on Sunday for closing down sale |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/02/20/new-look-to-close-irish-stores-with-loss-of-almost-350-jobs/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> The company was criticised in late February 2025 for refusing to accept its own gift vouchers during its closing-down sale.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Consumer watchdog intervenes as New Look refuses vouchers in closing down sale |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/02/24/consumer-watchdog-intervenes-as-new-look-refuses-vouchers-in-closing-down-sale/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category|New Look (retailer)}} * [http://www.newlook.com New Look Website] * [https://www.newlookgroup.com New Look General Website]
;News items * [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/7831446.stm New Look moves 250 jobs to London in January 2009] * [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/6959344.stm New HQ in Weymouth in August 2007] * [https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/dorset/3938065.stm Newcastle-under-Lyme in July 2004] * [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3484979.stm Going private in February 2004]
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Look (Clothing Retailer)}} Category:1969 establishments in England Category:British companies established in 1969 Category:Clothing retailers of England Category:Companies based in Dorset Category:Clothing companies established in 1969 Category:Retail companies established in 1969 Category:Privately held companies of England Category:Apax Partners companies Category:Permira companies Category:Organisations based in Weymouth, Dorset Category:Companies formed by management buyout Category:2015 mergers and acquisitions Category:Companies that have filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy