Evans
TypePrivate
Founded1930
Defunct2021
HeadquartersUnited Kingdom and Ireland
Number of locations
300+ stores
Area served
Worldwide
OwnerRichard Willcox
ParentAK Retail
Websitewww.evans.co.uk

Evans is a women's clothing retailer located in the United Kingdom and around the world. It sells plus-size clothing, lingerie, wide-fitting shoes, swimwear and accessories.

Timeline

  • Evans was founded in 1930 by the manufacturer Jack Green.
  • After 40 years as a limited company, the Burton Group (later Arcadia Group) acquired Evans and it became a public company.
  • Mail order purchases were introduced in 1972, just after Evans had expanded to over 77 branches nationwide.
  • In 1988, Evans became the market leader in womenswear above a UK size 14.
  • In 1994, the first Evans brochure featured in Good Housekeeping and Prima magazines, consisting of just 12 pages.
  • In 1997, Evans launched SeVen, a more fashion-led label for the younger customers and also became the first Arcadia brand to start selling online.
  • In 1998, Helen Teague and her comedian partner Dawn French launched the 1647 range, exclusively designed for Evans.
  • In 2007, Crystal Renn became the official face of Evans, featuring in the first TV advertising campaign and all in-store merchandising.
  • In 2009, Beth Ditto of the indie rock band the Gossip launched the Beth Ditto at Evans collection, also exclusive to the retailer.
  • In 2011, launched in USA and started providing delivery services to over 100 countries.
Evans on Lands Lane, Leeds in 2010.

Evans' parent company Arcadia entered administration in November 2020. The following month, Australian fashion retailer City Chic Collective reached an agreement with Arcadia's administrators to purchase the Evans brand, website and wholesale business for £23 million. The deal did not include the retailer's stores. City Chic sold Evans in 2023 to AK Retail, who owns M&Co..[1][2]

Designers at Evans

Beth Ditto, in collaboration with head of design Lisa Marie Peacock, launched her first plus-size clothing collection for Evans on 9 July 2009. Ditto provided sketches and drew inspiration from her favourite vintage and charity shop clothes as well as bands like Blondie, The Slits and Grace Jones, and Art Deco movements. Some of the most popular items in the first collection included a domino-print dress and leggings, a stained glass-effect printed dress and a royal blue jumpsuit, as well as a biker jacket, denim pencil skirt and more.[3] Her second collection for Evans launched in 2010 with just over 20 individual items. Marianne Kirby, writing in The Guardian, said the "collection struck a nerve with its iconic pieces" and that it was an "international success".[4]

In 2012, British couture label Clements Ribeiro introduced the Swan range for Evans.[5] The range proved popular: Adele wore a dress at a gig in Canada and was reported to have bought the whole range.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Ford Rojas, John-Paul (21 December 2020). "Arcadia brand Evans sold to Australia's City Chic for £23m". Sky News. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  2. ↑ Beevers, Angela (7 August 2023). "Evans acquired by M&Co owner AK Retail | Retail Bulletin". Retail Bulletin | Daily UK Retail News. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  3. ↑ Alexander, Hilary (6 July 2009). "Beth Ditto's collection for Evans". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 8 July 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  4. ↑ Kirby, Marianne (21 September 2010). "Beth Ditto collection reveals gap in the fat fashion market". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  5. 1 2 Pithers, Ellie (26 March 2012). "First look at Clements Ribeiro for Evans". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
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