Nordstrom buys share in 4 UK fashion lines
NEW YORK — Nordstrom says it’s acquiring a minority interest in four fashion brands owned by a British company called Asos as the department store chain aims to attract more customers in their 20s.
The brands — Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT— were purchased by Asos in February after their previous owner and British fashion empire Arcadia Group filed for bankruptcy in late 2020. The financial terms weren’t disclosed.
As part of the agreement, announced Monday, Asos will retain operational and creative control of the Topshop brands. But Nordstrom will now have the exclusive retail rights for Topshop and Topman in all of North America, including Canada, and own a minority stake globally. The Seattle-based retailer will also become the only store presence for these brands worldwide. And customers will also be able to pick up Asos.com orders at Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores starting this fall.
The investment paves the way for the potential of a wider strategic alliance between Asos and Nordstrom, according to a company release.
