Austin Reed (retailer)

This article is about the clothing retailer. For the memoirist, see Austin Reed (author).
Austin Reed flagship store on Regent Street in London (2011)

Austin Reed was a British fashion retailer founded in 1900, and the brand was acquired by Edinburgh Woollen Mill in 2016.

History

Austin Reed was founded by tailor Austin Leonard Reed (1873–1954).

Timeline

  • 1900 - First London shop was opened in Fenchurch Street
  • 1911 - Opening of flagship store in Regent Street
  • 1929 - The first international outlet on the transatlantic liner RMS Aquitania
  • 1930 - The opening of the Regent St Barbers Shop
  • 1936 - Opening of a concession on the RMS Queen Mary
  • 1946 - Opening of a concession on the RMS Queen Elizabeth
  • 1940s - Winston Churchill was a customer here.
  • 1980s - The launch of Austin Reed's womenswear
  • 2000 - UK Manufacturing, at its Crewe factory ended
  • 2005 - Kosugi-Sangyo was the Austin Reed ready-to-wear license holder in Japan with retail value of €50 million.
  • 2009 - The Austin Reed Group acquires heritage brand Viyella
  • 2010 - The launch of the Q Club on the third floor of the Regent Street store
  • 2011 - Austin Reed move from the original 103-113 Regent Street Store to the opposite side (100 Regent Street)
  • 2016 - Austin Reed entered administration. Five concessions located in Boundary Mills outlet villages will stay open following a buyout by Edinburgh Woollen Mill.

Operations

Austin Reed also owned the CC brand (rebranded from Country Casuals).