Ted Baker has relaunched its new e-commerce website in the UK, thanks to its new operating partner United Legwear and Apparel (ULAC), following its collapse earlier this year. It is exclusively shipping to the UK, with Europe teased to be “coming soon”.
United Legwear and Apparel was appointed by Ted Baker owner Authentic in September to run its UK and European arm. Since relaunching, TedBaker.com is offering free deliveries of over £150 for shoppers in the UK.
Authentic Brands, which also owns big names such as Reebok and Juicy Couture, operates on a licensing model. It blamed the failure of its UK arm on the partner chosen to run its stores and e-commerce platform in the UK and EU. Dutch retail business AARC ran into financial difficulty shortly after it was appointed and ABG stepped in with financial support but was ultimately unable to sustain the partnership. It was terminated in February of this year.
The company behind Ted Baker’s UK business, No Ordinary Designer Label Limited (NODL), was placed into administration in March. Administrators Teneo began closing stores and it was recently revealed that all remaining UK stores have been slated for closure in the coming weeks. Before the administration, the company operated 46 stores in the UK.
Authentic Brands is still the owner of Ted Baker’s intellectual property and in August, it named three new licensees for the Ted Baker brand in the US and Canada, which it said would “secure its future” in those markets.
It said that United Legwear & Apparel Co (ULAC), BCI Brands and Peerless Clothing are its new “foundational licensing partners” for the North American region.
