UK brand ME+EM raises £55 million for global expansion

“From day one we’ve been passionate about democratising luxury for busy women of all ages who want to wear beautifully tailored clothes, made with care and attention to detail, that fit perfectly,” said founder and CEO Clare Hornby. “Having seen soaring demand for our clothes in the US and other key international markets, we know that there is a global appetite for the cut, quality, and style that we have created. As a digital first, data-driven business we are seeing a huge opportunity ahead of us and with Highland Europe’s expertise in this area, we can use technology to delight and serve our customers across the world even more effectively.”

Loyalty and brand satisfaction has seen ME+EM achieve triple digit growth in revenues in 2021, compared to circa 20 per cent growth across the whole online fashion sector. Over three years, the brand has quadrupled its revenues and is seeing soaring demand from higher-spending American customers. The US is ME+EM’s fastest growing geography, with triple digit revenue growth.

Demand from US shoppers has created an opportunity to open new stores in New York and Boston. ME+EM is also accelerating expansion in Australia, the Middle East, Canada, Switzerland, and Hong Kong, where it also has a fast-growing customer base, the company said in a press release.

More than half of the SS21 collection was made from natural or recycled materials. Its trims, fabrics, samples, and write-off stock are donated to art schools, colleges and charities such as SmartWorks and NEWLIFE. In this way, ME+EM works towards a zero landfill policy.

“ME+EM’s relentless focus on quality, fit and sustainability has inspired an incredibly loyal customer base and has generated impressive growth over the past several years. In addition to the success in the UK we are impressed by the strong demand coming from international customers, a testament to the brand’s global relevance and appeal. Clare is a fantastic leader and we are thrilled to partner with her and the ME+EM team,” Sam Brooks, partner at Highland Europe, said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)