Marcona brand changes hands

Marcona has been bought by Miro Radici

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Textiles group Miro Radici has acquired German womenswear brand Marcona with a complete buyout of all its shares.

As a result of the deal the brand's collections will be more focused and streamlined. Marcona, which offers three programmes per season, has trimmed the first programme to five themes instead of eight and the second to four themes instead of five. There will still be a third in-season programme.
The number of pieces in each theme has also been reduced, to about 85 pieces from 120.

Marcona's UK managing director Justine Trend-Evans said the move would make production more efficient.

Trend-Evans said pricing would remain the same for most of the range but with more affordable basics, and the brand would continue to target women aged 45-plus. She said: "Marcona recently conducted research which showed the most lucrative market would continue to be this age group, as they have the most disposable income."

"The brand will move on a bit in terms of the look to add a more fashionable edge, but there will be no big changes," Trend-Evans added.

She said: "For the first season under the new owners it will be about consolidating our customer base."

The Marcona showroom in London's Great Titchfield Street will now also carry Miro Radici-owned knitwear brand Rössler. Trend-Evans said: "Rössler is aimed at the mid-to-upper end of the market. Wholesale prices are about £24 in the spring ranges and £30 for autumn."

A spokesman for Miro Radici, which is Italian-owned but based in Germany, said the move would benefit Marcona in terms of manufacture, production, logistics and IT.

Marcona will keep its head office in Gelsenkirchen in Germany. The brand has 210 accounts in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Miro Radici also owns German womenswear brands Apanage and Steilmann.