Cath Kidston
| Cath Kidston | |
|---|---|
| Born | Catherine Isabel Audrey Kidston November 6, 1958 |
| Residence | London |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | |
| Years active | 1993- |
| Organization | Cath Kidston Limited |
| Known for | Floral prints |
| Partner | Hugh Padgham |
Catherine Isabel Kidston, born 6 November 1958[1] and generally known as Cath Kidston, is a British fashion designer, businesswoman and author whose company, Cath Kidston Limited sells home furnishings and related goods through shops, online and by mail order.[2] In February 2010, the company was valued at £75 million.[3] She is particularly known for her nostalgic floral patterns[2][3]and has also published a number of books.[3]
Contents |
[edit] Personal life
Her grandfather Glen Kidston was a renowned sportsman in the 1920s.[4]
Kidston is related to nobility. Her uncle is the former chairman of Christie's Charles Henry Allsopp, 6th Baron Hindlip and his daughters, television presenters, The Honourable Kirstie Allsopp[5] and The Hon. Sofie Allsopp her cousins.
Raised near Andover in Hampshire, she was educated at various UK boarding schools, later moving to London aged 18. She was employed by the socialite, Nicky Haslam,[3] before setting up an interiors business with a friend,[3] then opening her own shop.[3]
Both her parents died of cancer[3], and she was diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 37[3].
Kidston's partner is record producer Hugh Padgham,[3] whom she met as his decorator.[3] They have homes beside the Thames in West London,[3] and in Gloucestershire.[3] She has a step-daughter[3], and is dyslexic[3].
[edit] Shops
After recovering from breast cancer,[3] Kidston opened her first shop in London's Holland Park in 1994,[2] selling hand-embroidered tea-towels and brightly renovated furniture,[3] and later described it as a "glorified junk shop".[3] As of April 2011, there are 41 shops and concessions in the UK, two in the Republic of Ireland, eleven in Japan and three in Korea, with more due to open in the latter two countries.[2] Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs programme, she described her shops as provoking a 'Marmite reaction' - "People either love it and want a little bit of it very much, or want to stab us."[4]
[edit] Business
Kidston shop window display, with company logo |
|
| Type | Limited company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Home furnishing |
| Founded | April 13, 1993 |
| Founder(s) | Cath Kidston |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Website | www.cathkidston.co.uk |
Cath Kidston Limited was registered with Companies House, number 02808583, on 3 April 1993.[6]
The company's profits jumped more than 60 per cent from £2.9million to £4.6million in the year to March 2009.[3] Sales rose to £31.3m during the period, compared with £19.3m the year before,[3] partly due to new store openings.[3]
In 2010, she sold a majority stake of the company to private equity investors TA Associates,[7] but retained a minority stake and is the company's Creative Director.[7]
[edit] Collaborations
Kidston has worked with Milletts to design tents (2005-6),[2] Nokia/ Carphone Warehouse (mobile phones, 2006)[2] and Roberts (radios, 2005 onwards).[2] In 2008 she collaborated with Tesco to produce shopping bags made from plastic bottles,[2] which were sold to raise almost £500,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care[2] and saved about six million plastic bottles from landfill.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Companies House Annual Return for Cath Kidston Limited, 12th May 2010
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "About Cath Kidston". Cath Kiston Limited. http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/t-about.aspx. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Hale, Beth (2010-02-23). "Cath Kidston to pocket £30m from sale of brand 20 years after shop assistant created famous nostalgic designs". Mail Online (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1252954/Cath-Kidston-pocket-30m-sale-brand-20-years-shop-assistant-created-famous-nostalgic-designs.html. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ^ a b "Desert Island Discs: Cath Kidston". BBC. 2010-04-29. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b010lyy4/Desert_Island_Discs_Cath_Kidston/. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ^ Wood, Zoe (2009-08-09). "Queen of florals Cath Kidston bucks the recession to profit from love of nostalgia". http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/aug/09/cath-kidston-recession-floral-empire. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ^ "CATH KIDSTON LIMITED: OpenCorporates". OpenCorporates. 2011-03-11. http://opencorporates.com/companies/gb/02808583. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ^ a b Hall, James (2010-12-05). "Cath Kidston plans Far East push - Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8181422/Cath-Kidston-plans-Far-East-push.html. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
