Funding bid to break US
Bath founded clothing label, Rupert & Buckley is one step closer to realising its plans to expand into the US. Just 24 hours after launching its crowdfunding bid last week to facilitate the expansion, the business had raised in excess of £90,000, more than 20 per cent of its £450,000 target. Having relaunched in 2017 with a new CEO at the helm, Rupert & Buckley has restructured the business, invested in a new distribution centre in Barnstaple, opened three stand-alone retail stores in Bath, Durham and Chester and become stocked by more than 150 stores in the UK and Ireland. Rupert & Buckley was founded by James Buckley Thorpe after he used a vintage 80-needle handweaving machine to craft socks for his university rowing team. With high-quality clothing aimed at men and women aged 25 to 35, the brand represents an aspirational lifestyle, aligned with British institutional sporting culture, that is available to all. It became the leisurewear partner of The University Boat Race in 2017, with a three year contract, reaching an annual audience of more than six million. Chief executive Alex Newman said: “Our ethos is to make our brand available to all, we strive to be an inspiration to our audience and a true representation of our customers across the board. “Our vision is to become a household name as an aspirational, forward-thinking brand with a solid, long-term strategy giving us the ability to roll with the highs and lows of the global economy. “Due to the success of Rupert & Buckley over the last 14 months, we’re now looking for investment to launch in the US. “We’re excited to make Rupert & Buckley a global player in the fashion market and to give our investors a healthy return on their belief in us.” In the UK, the business will continue to focus on developing partnerships with national retailers such as ASOS and House of Fraser, having already received contact from a larger format retail chain, and to continue to build brand awareness through further strategic national collaborations with its sporting partners.