Marquee Brands is the first to ring the acquisition bell in the consumer goods space in 2025 as the global brand consolidator (and accelerator) and owner of 17 global consumer brands announced the acquisition of Laura Ashley, the legacy home, fashion and lifestyle brand celebrated for its romantic English aesthetic, from Gordon Brothers.
Marquee Brands owns the Ben Sherman, Dakine, Totes Isotoner and Body Glove brands, among others.
“Founded in 1953, Laura Ashley has become synonymous with timeless design, blending delicate florals, vintage-inspired motifs and exceptional craftsmanship across hundreds of products and categories. The strategic acquisition retains Laura Ashley’s UK-based team and expands Marquee Brands’ global footprint with the opening of its first European headquarters in London,” Marquee said in a media release.
Distributed in more than 80 countries through leading wholesalers, best-in-class digital marketplaces, and over 150 branded retail locations globally, the addition of Laura Ashley increases the retail value of Marquee Brands’ global portfolio to $4+ billion, according to a statement from he company. “Laura Ashley’s licensed business model and robust group of high-quality partners makes the brand a seamless addition to Marquee Brands. We are excited to harness the strong affinity for this iconic brand and drive expansion across new platforms and partnerships,” said Heath Golden, CEO, Marquee Brands. “With the existing UK team in place, we are primed and ready to leverage Laura Ashley’s seven-decade legacy to unlock its future potential as a full lifestyle brand innovating new products and categories, offering unique collaborations and engaging multi-generational audiences in key markets worldwide.” “As a firm that actively invests in and revitalizes iconic brands like Laura Ashley, we acquired the British heritage brand out of insolvency in 2020 and built a flexible, scalable licensing business and a global e-commerce presence over the last four years,” said Tobias Nanda, Head of Brands, Gordon Brothers. “We could not be prouder of Laura Ashley’s growth under Carolyn D’Angelo’s leadership, the former President of Laura Ashley, and know the brand is in the right hands for continued global growth under Marquee Brands’ leadership.” Building on its reputation for scaling iconic brands,
Marquee Brands said in a media release that it would integrate Laura Ashley into its portfolio as a globally recognized lifestyle brand with a fully licensed operating model spanning the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and other leading markets across Asia. Laura Ashley operates in more than 200 lifestyle categories through a network of over 100 licensed partners with products available at thousands of points of sale. By leveraging its global network, Marquee Brands said it is poised to deepen Laura Ashley’s presence, driving new business across North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, EMEA and other key regions. The acquisition of Laura Ashley reportedly marks the culmination of a transformative year for Marquee Brands.
To support its accelerated growth to $4+ billion and commitment to increasing organic revenue, Marquee Brands reportedly bolstered its executive team with the appointments of Rachel Terrace as chief commercial and growth officer, John Hayes as chief financial officer, Joseph Zarro as chief business development officer and Natasha Fishman as chief marketing officer.
The company said the addition of industry leaders has been instrumental in shaping Marquee Brands’ upward trajectory.
Lincoln International served as the exclusive financial advisor to Gordon Brothers in facilitating the completion of this transaction.
Image courtesy Laura Ashley
