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{{Short description|British company with two international retail clothing chains}}{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
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{{Infobox company {{Infobox company
| name = Monsoon Accessorize Ltd. | name = Monsoon Accessorize Ltd.
| logo = ] | logo = Monsoon accessorize logo.svg
| type = High Street Retailer | image = Monsoon Fashion Shop.jpg
| genre = | image_caption = Monsoon shop in ], London
| fate = | type = ]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1973|df=yes}}
| predecessor =
| founder = ]
| successor =
| foundation = 1973 | location_city = London
| founder = Peter Simon | location_country = United Kingdom
| defunct = | num_locations = 181 stores
| location_city = ] | area_served = United Kingdom
| industry = ]
| location_country = ]
| products = {{ubl|]|]}}
| location =
| locations = | owner = Peter Simon
| key_people = {{ubl| Peter Simon<br/> (])| Nick Stowe<br/>(])}}
| area_served =
| industry = | divisions = Monsoon<br>Accessorize
| homepage = {{url|monsoon.co.uk}}<br>{{url|accessorize.com}}
| products = Women's Apparel, Kids Apparel, Accessories, Homeware.
| production =
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| aum =
| assets =
| equity =
| owner = Peter Simon
| num_employees =
| parent =
| divisions = Monsoon. Accessorize.
| subsid =
| homepage =
| footnotes =
| intl =
}} }}
], London, 2016]]
], Italy]]
'''Monsoon Accessorize''' is a British ]. It operates two international retail clothing chains – Monsoon and Accessorize.<ref name=ch>. Companies House. Accessed January 2015. NB: either the company name or the company number must be manually inserted in the relevant search field.</ref>


In 2018, the company reported 181 stores in the ]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01098034/filing-history|title=MONSOON ACCESSORIZE LIMITED - Companies House listing.|date=10 October 2019|website=Companies House}}</ref> and 19 in ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newemotion.it/m002/negozi-accessorize-italia|title=Accessorize Store in Italy|date=13 March 2024|website=Newemotion.it}}</ref>
]
'''Monsoon Accessorize''' is a design-led ] based in London, operating two international retail clothing chains - Monsoon and Accessorize <ref name="monsoon1">http://uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/content/our-company</ref>


==History==
Monsoon Accessorize is a design-led retailer based in London operating two international retail clothing chains-Monsoon and Accessorize.
Monsoon was started in London in 1973 by ], a market-stall trader, and opened its first shop in ] in May of that year.{{r|telegraph1}}<ref name="retail-week1">{{cite web |author=Laura Heywood |url=http://www.retail-week.com/companies/monsoon |title=MONSOON: Latest news, analysis and comment on Monsoon |publisher=Retail Week |date=21 August 2013 |accessdate=3 May 2014 |archive-date=5 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505201646/http://www.retail-week.com/companies/monsoon |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www2.monsoon.co.uk/comphistory.htm |title=Monsoon - company history |publisher=Monsoon Accessorize |url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060423084619/http://www2.monsoon.co.uk/comphistory.htm |archivedate=23 April 2006 }} Archived 23 April 2006.</ref> The first Accessorize shop opened in 1984, next door to Monsoon in ].<ref name=history/>
Monsoon
Monsoon was founded in 1973 by Peter Simon who brought hand-crafted and folk-inspired fashion to London, after travelling the globe and setting up a stall on the Portobello Road. The original focus was always on clothes with an ethnic origin from faraway places, such as India and Afghanistan, and the very early collections were made from hand-loomed cotton in Indian villages.


In 1994, a ], the Monsoon Accessorize Trust, was set up to help under-privileged women and children in Asia.{{r|nyt|fund|christ}}
The first Monsoon store was opened in Beauchamp Place, in Knightsbridge. Accessorize followed in 1984, producing high street accessories with a profoundly different aesthetic to what was found on the high street at the time. Monsoon Home was launched in 1999, creating innovative and individual home accessories and girt range. Monsoon Childrenswear arrived in 1995, and extended to include baby wear in 2003 and 2006, Monsoon Fusion was added to the family. Fusion is a capsule collection of younger, more tend-led pieces but still featuring Monsoon’s signature hand-writing of embellishment an embroidery.
More recently, Monsoon extended its Bridal and Occasionwear collection to cater for the more specialist end of the market.
Today there are over 340 (currently 343) Monsoon and Accessorize stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland and over 1053 throughout the world in 74 markets.


The company was listed on the ] in 1998. In 2007, Simon paid £185 million to take it private again.{{r|guard2}}
In June 2001, the business moved to the “Monsoon Building” in Paddington bringing together the central functions for the first time in 8 years. The building, originally commissioned by British Rail, was designed by Paul Hamilton in 1969. Known as the “battleship”, it had been a familiar landmark to drivers on the Westway. Abandoned and empty since 1990, it has now been brought back to life by Peter Simon and won the 2002 Building of the Year Award.


In 2008, the business moved to a new purpose-built eco-friendly office ‘The Yellow Building` located in Notting Dale Village, a stone’s throw from where the company was first established. In 2009, the company moved to a building designed by ] in ].{{r|arch}} The company's collection of some 300 works of modern and contemporary art is housed there.{{r|nyt|artnews}}


From early 2013 to February 2015, ], former head of retail at ], was ] of the company.{{r|telegraph1|guard4}} He was succeeded by Paul Allen, who served until August 2019, when Peter Simon and COO Nick Stowe jointly assumed the CEO role.{{r|guard4}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2019/08/monsoon-accessorize-ceo-paul-allen-quits/|title=Monsoon Accessorize CEO Paul Allen quits|last=Nazir|first=Sahar|date=2019-08-20|website=Retail Gazette|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-08-20}}</ref>
Accessorize
In the early 1980`s Monsoon started to sell a small collection of accessories which became so popular that the idea for the innovative new store format Accessorize was born.
The first Accessorize store opened in London`s Covent Garden Piazza in 1984 and the second in Carnaby Street in 1986. 1992 saw the first Accessorize store outside London with a store opening in Manchester.
Today there are currently 248 Accessorize stores in the UK and an international operation of over 1053 stores; including locations in Russia, China, South and North America, South Africa, Europe and the Middle-East.
With its own in-house design team, Accessorize holds a unique position on the high street with its inspirational, globally sourced, well-priced and good quality collection of fashion accessories. Displayed in an original and impactful colour-bay design, the constantly changing range includes every kind of accessory imaginable; bags, purses, jewellery, belts, hats, scarves, flip-flops, gloves, hair accessories and cosmetics.


In the 12 months to August 2018, the company operated 181 stores in the UK. Filed accounts showed turnover of £296m, of which £62m came from overseas stores. The firm recorded a post-tax loss of £22.5m for the year.<ref name=":0" />
E-Commerce & Multi-Channel Platforms
Monsoon and Accessorize currently have transactional websites in several countries, including the USA, Denmark, France and Russia-and delivers to a worldwide base from its UK site.


In July 2019, a majority of Monsoon's landlords agreed to cut rents at 135 stores, following the retailer's proposed ].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/monsoon-landlords-agree-to-cut-rents-9q2l8dkfb|title=Monsoon landlords agree to cut rents|last=Burden|first=Elizabeth|date=2019-07-04|work=The Times|access-date=2019-07-08|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
Heritage & Ethics
Whilst Monsoon may have grown into a global company, with over 1000 stores, it is still known for hand-crafted products with intricate hand embroidery and embellishment. While much of its production has shifted to larger factories, Monsoon still trades with some of its original Indian suppliers and had helped them to grow with the business.
Monsoon is a founder member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) established in 1999, and is committed to ensuring high ethical standards across it supply chain. It was rated a `Leader` or `Achiever` by the ETI against its assessment criteria in 2010.


On 10 June 2020, during the ], Monsoon Accessorize went into ] and was then bought by its founder, who planned 35 UK store closures with the loss of 545 jobs.<ref name="Partridge-10Jun2020">{{cite news |last1=Partridge |first1=Joanna |title=Monsoon Accessorize, Restaurant Group and Quiz to shut sites |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/10/restaurant-group-monsoon-accessorize-and-quiz-to-shut-sites-frankie-and-bennys-coronavirus |accessdate=11 June 2020 |work=Guardian |date=10 June 2020}}</ref> The company also confirmed the closure of Monsoon Accessorize stores in the Republic of Ireland affecting stores in ], ] and ].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2020/0610/1146519-monsoon-accessorize-enter-administration/|title=Monsoon and Accessorize to close some Irish shops|date=10 June 2020|via=www.rte.ie}}</ref> The company planned to retain stores in ], ], ], Sligo and Athlone for the time being.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}
Our Code


Peter Simon bought it out of bankruptcy in late 2022<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2020/06/545-job-cuts-as-peter-simon-buys-monsoon-accessorize-out-of-administration/shutterstock_553722949-3/|title=Peter Simon buys Monsoon Accessorize out of administration - Retail Gazette|website=www.retailgazette.co.uk|date=10 June 2020 |accessdate=20 November 2022}}</ref>
Our code, based on Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code standards, sets minimum requirements in workers’ rights and conditions. These include:
No forced labour
Freedom of association
Safe and hygienic working conditions
No child labour
Fair wages
Fair working hours
No discrimination, intimidation, abuse or harassment


== Criticism ==
In February 2013, the ] criticised Monsoon for requiring all new suppliers to give a blanket rebate of up to 4% on all invoices, as well as a further charge of up to 10% for early payment.<ref name="printweek1">{{cite web|url=http://www.printweek.com/print-week/news/1136081/monsoon-accessorize-criticised-mandatory-supplier-rebate|title=Monsoon Accessorize criticised for mandatory supplier rebate|publisher=PrintWeek|accessdate=3 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.just-style.com/news/monsoon-faces-criticism-over-supplier-terms_id117073.aspx|title=Monsoon faces criticism over supplier terms|date=25 February 2013|publisher=Just-style.com|accessdate=3 May 2014|archive-date=31 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831071935/https://www.just-style.com/news/monsoon-faces-criticism-over-supplier-terms_id117073.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>


In October 2015, Monsoon was at the head of a list published by ] of companies that had failed to pay the ]. Because of a policy requiring employees to wear Monsoon clothes at work, the cost of which was deducted from wages, the company had effectively underpaid 1438 of its workers in the United Kingdom by over £104,000. The company was fined more than £28,000, and began paying a clothing allowance and raised wages.{{r|bbc|guard}}
Angora
]


== References ==
As of November 2014, we no longer use angora in our production. This follows detailed audits of the farms used by our suppliers during 2013-14. These audits confirmed that live plucking was not used anywhere in our supply chain and that our supplier farms took great care to ensure that the shearing process did not cause stress or injury. However, despite the above, we recognise that some of our customers still feel uncomfortable with the continued inclusion of angora in our ranges so have decided to end all future use.
{{Commons category|Monsoon Accessorize}}
{{Reflist|45em|refs=


<ref name=arch>Mike Stiff (5 February 2009). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306193125/http://www.architecturetoday.co.uk/?p=1043 |date=6 March 2016}}.''Architecture Today'' '''198''': 54. Accessed March 2016.</ref>


<ref name=artnews> () . artnews.com. Accessed March 2016.</ref>
The Monsoon Accessorize Trust
The company also supports disadvantaged artisans through its own charity, the Monsoon Accessorize Trust. Set up in 1994 to mark the company`s 21st birthday, the Trust helps over 10,000 woman and children in Asia every year, focusing on communities where the company has trading links. This includes an immunisation project, reaching 5,000 children in Rajasthan, a homeless shelter for abandoned girls in Delhi and a project to help re-cultivate the silk industry in Afghanistan.


<ref name=bbc>. BBC. Accessed October 2015.</ref>
Details of projects:


<ref name=christ> (29 January 2013). . ''Christian Today''. Accessed March 2016.</ref>
We also provide technical support and market access for a number of artisan co-operatives and social enterprises.
In addition to the important relationship we’ve built with the SEWA Embroidery Centre, each of the following organisations has received support from us. In turn, they’re augmenting our extensive core supply chain by becoming suppliers for our ARTISAN range:
NOAH’S ARK – a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO), this social enterprise was established in 1986 to help lift artisans out of poverty.


<!-- <ref name=eti>{{cite web|url=http://www.ethicaltrade.org/content/corporate-members |title=Ethical Trading Initiative|publisher=ethicaltrade.org |accessdate=4 March 2016}}</ref> -->
SADHNA – a collective in Udaipur (Rajasthan) which provides income opportunities for desert artisans specialising in intricate embroidery.


<ref name=fund>Howard Lake (5 January 2010). . UKfundraising. Accessed March 2016.</ref>
SAMARPAN FOUNDATION – a body providing education and employment opportunities for women from a rag-picker community in Delhi.


<ref name=guard>Sarah Butler (23 October 2015). . ''The Guardian''. Accessed October 2015.</ref>
TARA – a member of the WFTO, committed to helping disadvantaged producers across North India. Its artisans specialise in jewellery, brass, soapstone and wood products.


<ref name=guard2>Julia Kollewe (29 September 2007). . ''The Guardian''. Accessed March 2016.</ref>
ASHIANA – a not-for-profit organization creating and sustaining livelihoods in jewellery-making for women affected by HIV/AIDS in a Delhi slum area.


<!-- <ref name=guard3>Sarah Butler (8 May 2015). . ''The Guardian''. Accessed March 2016.</ref>-->
Artisan
A Monsoon initiative that is much more than a label. Often denoting up to 20 or more hours of hand-work on a single piece, ARTISAN signposts our commitment to sustaining traditional craft techniques as well as creating livelihoods. Most ARTISAN pieces are hand-crafted by our suppliers’ networks of skilled craftspeople. But, each season, we also select some ARTISAN pieces to be made with our charity partners such as the SEWA Embroidery Centre in Delhi, which provides employment and support for disadvantaged local women. In all cases, ARTISAN helps sustain, nurture and cherish age-old hand-work traditions – ensuring that the skilled craftspeople are properly rewarded for their wonderful work.


<ref name=guard4>Sarah Butler (18 February 2015). . ''The Guardian''. Accessed March 2016.</ref>
Clothes for Life
For the past five years, Monsoon has run the Clothes for Life scheme for customers and the New Life charity. Customers can bring back their old Monsoon garments in exchange for a £10.00 voucher refundable off their next purchase (on a spend of £50.00 and over). The clothes are then collected by New Life – a UK based charity supporting disabled children – and either sold or recycled.


<ref name=nyt> (26 October 2008). . '' The New York Times''. Accessed March 2016.</ref>
==Management==
Monsoon Accessorize's ], as of 2014, is John Browett.<ref name="telegraph1"/>


<!-- <ref name=schaller>Susanne Schaller (2007). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303205401/http://inef.uni-due.de/page/documents/Report91.pdf |date=3 March 2016 }}. Duisburg: Institute for Development and Peace, University of Duisburg‐Essen. INEF Report '''91'''. {{ISSN|0941-4967}}. {{nobreak|p. 18.}}</ref> -->
Monsoon has continued to work with many of its suppliers for more than 40 years, including many in India and Asia.


<ref name=telegraph1>Graham Ruddick (7 February 2014). . ''The Daily Telegraph''. Accessed January 2015.</ref>}}
==Stores==
There were 388 Monsoon and Accessorize stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland by 2013 <ref name="archive2"/><ref name="monsoon2"/> and 400 in the and over 1,000 throughout the world by 2014.<ref name="monsoon1"/> They are in the UK, Ireland, France, Australia, Austria, Germany, Russia,Australia, Brazil, The Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, Gibraltar, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, the Middle East, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria and the UAE.<ref name="monsoon1"/><ref name="monsoon1"/><ref name="archive2"/><ref name="monsoon2"/>


{{Authority control}}
===Charity work===
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monsoon}}
The Monsoon Accessorize Trust, to help women and children in Asia.<ref name="monsoon1"/><ref name="monsoon5"/>
Charity projects for 2013, including a project to help revitalise the local silk cultivation industry in Afghanistan.

===Green issues===
Monsoon has only ever used humanly grown angoras wool.
<ref name="archive2"/><ref name="monsoon2"/>

==Corporate awards==
It won the ].<ref name="monsoon1"/>

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
{{commons category|Accessorize}}
*
*
* {{OpenCorp|Monsoon Accessorize}}

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Latest revision as of 08:45, 19 March 2024

British company with two international retail clothing chains
Monsoon Accessorize Ltd.
Monsoon shop in Brompton Road, London
Company typePrivate
IndustryHigh Street retailer
Founded1973; 52 years ago (1973)
FounderPeter Simon
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Number of locations181 stores
Area servedUnited Kingdom
Key people
Products
OwnerPeter Simon
DivisionsMonsoon
Accessorize
Websitemonsoon.co.uk
accessorize.com
Monsoon Accessorize, Oxford Street, London, 2016
Accessorize store in Piacenza, Italy

Monsoon Accessorize is a British private limited company. It operates two international retail clothing chains – Monsoon and Accessorize.

In 2018, the company reported 181 stores in the UK and 19 in Italy.

History

Monsoon was started in London in 1973 by Peter Simon, a market-stall trader, and opened its first shop in Beauchamp Place in May of that year. The first Accessorize shop opened in 1984, next door to Monsoon in Covent Garden.

In 1994, a registered charity, the Monsoon Accessorize Trust, was set up to help under-privileged women and children in Asia.

The company was listed on the Stock Exchange in 1998. In 2007, Simon paid £185 million to take it private again.

In 2009, the company moved to a building designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris in Notting Dale. The company's collection of some 300 works of modern and contemporary art is housed there.

From early 2013 to February 2015, John Browett, former head of retail at Apple, was chief executive of the company. He was succeeded by Paul Allen, who served until August 2019, when Peter Simon and COO Nick Stowe jointly assumed the CEO role.

In the 12 months to August 2018, the company operated 181 stores in the UK. Filed accounts showed turnover of £296m, of which £62m came from overseas stores. The firm recorded a post-tax loss of £22.5m for the year.

In July 2019, a majority of Monsoon's landlords agreed to cut rents at 135 stores, following the retailer's proposed company voluntary arrangement.

On 10 June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Monsoon Accessorize went into administration and was then bought by its founder, who planned 35 UK store closures with the loss of 545 jobs. The company also confirmed the closure of Monsoon Accessorize stores in the Republic of Ireland affecting stores in Dublin, Cork City and Kilkenny. The company planned to retain stores in Drogheda, Limerick, Galway, Sligo and Athlone for the time being.

Peter Simon bought it out of bankruptcy in late 2022

Criticism

In February 2013, the Forum of Private Business criticised Monsoon for requiring all new suppliers to give a blanket rebate of up to 4% on all invoices, as well as a further charge of up to 10% for early payment.

In October 2015, Monsoon was at the head of a list published by HM Revenue and Customs of companies that had failed to pay the national minimum wage. Because of a policy requiring employees to wear Monsoon clothes at work, the cost of which was deducted from wages, the company had effectively underpaid 1438 of its workers in the United Kingdom by over £104,000. The company was fined more than £28,000, and began paying a clothing allowance and raised wages.

Monsoon Marylebone High Street

References

  1. Company Details: 01098034, Monsoon Accessorize Limited. Companies House. Accessed January 2015. NB: either the company name or the company number must be manually inserted in the relevant search field.
  2. ^ "MONSOON ACCESSORIZE LIMITED - Companies House listing". Companies House. 10 October 2019.
  3. "Accessorize Store in Italy". Newemotion.it. 13 March 2024.
  4. ^ Graham Ruddick (7 February 2014). Monsoon back in the black as former Apple boss boosts sales. The Daily Telegraph. Accessed January 2015.
  5. Laura Heywood (21 August 2013). "MONSOON: Latest news, analysis and comment on Monsoon". Retail Week. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  6. ^ "Monsoon - company history". Monsoon Accessorize. Archived from the original on 23 April 2006. Archived 23 April 2006.
  7. ^ (26 October 2008). Peter Simon, founder and director, Monsoon and Accessorize. The New York Times. Accessed March 2016.
  8. Howard Lake (5 January 2010). Money raining in for Monsoon Charitable Trust. UKfundraising. Accessed March 2016.
  9. (29 January 2013). Christian Aid, Monsoon partnership to boost Afghanistan's silk industry. Christian Today. Accessed March 2016.
  10. Julia Kollewe (29 September 2007). Monsoon founder wins fight to go private. The Guardian. Accessed March 2016.
  11. Mike Stiff (5 February 2009). Allford Hall Monaghan Morris: Yellow, White and Studio Buildings, Notting Dale Village, London Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.Architecture Today 198: 54. Accessed March 2016.
  12. () Top 200 Collectors: Peter Simon. artnews.com. Accessed March 2016.
  13. ^ Sarah Butler (18 February 2015). Monsoon chief executive John Browett to step down. The Guardian. Accessed March 2016.
  14. Nazir, Sahar (20 August 2019). "Monsoon Accessorize CEO Paul Allen quits". Retail Gazette. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  15. Burden, Elizabeth (4 July 2019). "Monsoon landlords agree to cut rents". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  16. Partridge, Joanna (10 June 2020). "Monsoon Accessorize, Restaurant Group and Quiz to shut sites". Guardian. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  17. "Monsoon and Accessorize to close some Irish shops". 10 June 2020 – via www.rte.ie. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  18. "Peter Simon buys Monsoon Accessorize out of administration - Retail Gazette". www.retailgazette.co.uk. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  19. "Monsoon Accessorize criticised for mandatory supplier rebate". PrintWeek. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  20. "Monsoon faces criticism over supplier terms". Just-style.com. 25 February 2013. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  21. Monsoon Accessorize tops minimum wage list of shame. BBC. Accessed October 2015.
  22. Sarah Butler (23 October 2015). Monsoon named and shamed for not paying staff minimum wage. The Guardian. Accessed October 2015.
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