Womenswear brand Hush receives private equity investment

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Apr 29, 2020

Online brand Hush is looking to expand into new markets after securing an investment from private equity firm True.

Hush, a womenswear specialist which originally launched as a collection of pyjamas and loungewear, has grown to offer a range of clothing categories designed with a laid-back aesthetic. 

The business has quadrupled in size over the last four years, with sales now reaching more than £50 million. Sharing lifestyle content such as book recommendations and recipes on its website and social channels has helped it build a community of loyal customers, with more than 130,000 people following the brand on Instagram and Facebook.

Hush said the deal with True means that founder Mandy Watkins will receive extra support to scale the brand and drive its expansion into new markets and channels.

Although it has opened a number of pop-up stores, online remains the brand’s main business. Additionally, the company has concessions in 37 John Lewis stores across the UK. 

Matt Truman, co-founder and CEO of True said Hush is at the forefront of the consumer behavioural shift. 

“The business is ideally positioned to grow its share of both the UK and international clothing markets due to its agile, digital-first business model, loyal customer base and relevant, contemporary product range,” he explained.

Mandy Watkins, who runs the business with her husband Rupert, added: “We’ve known Matt and the team at True for a number of years and we’re confident they share the passion we have for our customers, our team and our brand. We’re also excited to build a relationship with an investor who’s in a unique position to help us strengthen all aspects of our business – and we look forward to delivering on the huge opportunity that remains ahead of us.”

True has previously invested in sustainable childrenswear brand Frugi, furniture specialist The Cotswold Company and eco-conscious clothing retailer Aday.