Tessuti is a chain of designer stores in the United Kingdom, retailing men’s and women’s designer collections, including clothing, shoes and accessories for men and women. Tessuti was founded in 1985 by David Light. In December 2022, Frasers Group acquired Tessuti from JD Sports who had previously owned the company in full since 2016.[2]
As of 2019, Tessuti has thirty-eight stores, including doors in Liverpool,[3][4] Chester, Leeds,[5] Merryhill,[6][7] Meadowhall Sheffield[8] and Ipswich.[9][10] The retailer also has two stores within Manchester's[11] Trafford Centre and a Lowry Outlet store[12] in Salford Quays. The multi-channel retailer also has stores inside Bluewater Shopping Centre,[13] Metro Centre in Gateshead and Bradford Broadway. JD Sports PLC bought out menswear brand Cecil Gee[14] in 2012, turning all five branches into Tessuti stores. Tessuti’s portfolio has also includes the Aspecto[15] and Infinities retail businesses, bought by JD Sports PLC[16] in 2015 and that form part of an ongoing re-brand underneath the Tessuti umbrella. New store openings in 2018 included a new store at Manchester Arndale and Glasgow Fort.[17]
History
David Light, the founder of Tessuti, opened his first shop at 53 Watergate Row, Chester in April 1985. The first store to offer a number of international brands to Chester, Tessuti’s original store introduced new labels such as Stone Island, CP Company and Giorgio Armani to the city.
In May 2012, JD Sports Fashion plc acquired 40% of the business and then later in 2016 took control of Tessuti in full.
In late 2017, the brand suffered from undesirable publicity due to animal rights campaigners drawing attention to the fact that stores sell products using real animal fur and goose down.[18]