In 2025, British lifestyle brand FatFace made significant strides in adapting to evolving consumer needs. Following its acquisition by British retail giant Next in 2023, the company built on its strategic and operational momentum.
Internationally, FatFace is currently focused on digital expansion. In August, the brand launched digitally in Germany via Zalando, offering women’s fashion, men’s fashion and premium lines for a new audience.
Partnership with Zalando doubles sales in Germany
“Joining a platform like Zalando gives us another point of contact to attract new customers internationally. Since we started on Zalando, trading has been really positive. In fact, we have doubled our sales in Germany,” reports FatFace’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Will Crumbie in an interview with FashionUnited.
Partnerships like these continue to push FatFace toward global opportunities in a changing retail landscape. The past year was therefore marked by important milestones. In the home market, FatFace ventured into the new realm of concessions. The first of these opened in July in the Next store in the Lakeside Shopping Center in West Thurrock, near London. The location offers a curated selection of products and allows the brand to increase its visibility among the parent company’s existing clientele.
European opportunities and real estate refresh
Crumbie added that testing these formats is a critical “opportunity for us to engage directly with our customers in a way that hasn’t been possible before. This is something we will continue to pursue.”
The strategy is part of a wider commitment to invest in FatFace’s “profitable branch network in the UK and Ireland”. This includes new openings, renovations and updated storefronts. Together with strengthening digital and wholesale partnerships, this forms the company’s “balanced approach that supports sustainable, long-term growth across all our channels,” Crumbie added.
Internationally, the digital focus has proven promising early on. Crumbie attributed the ability to drive growth and enter new markets to joining the Next Total Platform. This business model has enabled FatFace to build a strong foundation through strengthened operations, digital infrastructure and new technologies. The digital area therefore remains a central focus for the company and now accounts for 36 percent of total sales.
The positive development that is already evident in Germany has strengthened FatFace’s confidence in European expansion. Future market launches have already been confirmed. “We have already gained a lot of insights that we will incorporate into our future international growth strategy,” adds Crumbie.
Petite line shows potential as category prepares for expansion
On the product front, FatFace increased inclusivity by launching its first Petite offering in the second half of 2025. The strong early response has accelerated expansion plans, said product director Kate Brown. She says the line will expand beyond dresses and jumpsuits to woven tops and outerwear for spring/summer 2026, “sooner than expected.”
The development of the Petite collection required FatFace to adapt its manufacturing and forecasting processes. Brown explained that petite sizes require proportional adjustments across the range. This challenge was overcome in collaboration with existing suppliers and internal technical teams.
The brand initially introduced key categories to assess demand before expanding based on sales performance and customer feedback. “Although the Petite audience is niche, demand has already exceeded our expectations. We are expanding the category selection sooner than expected,” said Brown.
This category expansion reflects FatFace’s broader data-driven strategy. Brown explained that the company analyzes what sells well and how customers wear the product. The feedback received via the various channels is also taken into account and flows into the design of new collections. She concluded by saying that inclusivity is a core value at FatFace and that the company is committed to “ensuring that everyone who likes a FatFace product can buy it.”
This article was created using digital tools translated.
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