Online fashion brand Blake Mill has been bought out of administration.
The Manchester firm behind ‘statement shirts’ appointed Leonard Curtis as administrator last month.
Hilary Pascoe and Andrew Poxon of Leonard Curtis have brokered a deal for buyer Createx Holdings which will ensure the continuation of the business and the transfer of three employees.
Blake Mill was founded in 2018 by Steve French, Ken Price and Ross French.
Steve French and Price met at Toronto FinTech startup Algorithmics, where they grew the business tenfold in the first year and turned it from a loss leader to a significant profit centre.
French then ran a major Swiss bank’s global data warehousing before the duo launched data management company Avox.
Headquartered in Wrexham, the company maintained complex networks of data for global financial institutions including Citigroup, HSBC and Mizuho. They secured investment from the German stock exchange Deutsche Boerse before selling up to a New York-based financial institution.
They chose Manchester as the headquarters for Blake Mill.
“We are committed to ethically creating the best shirts possible and are obsessed with the quality of all components of our shirts, including the collars, buttons, stitching, seams and prints,” said Price at the time.
After adding several high-profile figures to its advisory board – including Ted Baker’s former global creative director Anthony Cuthbertson – it secured a listing with department store giant John Lewis last year.
However it crashed into administration last month.
Lead administrator Pascoe said: “Following a formal administration process, the business assets of Blake Mill Limited have been successfully acquired by Createx Holdings Limited. The transaction ensures continuity for the Blake Mill brand under new ownership.
“Createx Holdings Ltd is currently progressing strategic plans for the business, with a focus on strengthening its market position and delivering long-term value for the loyal customers of the Blake Mill brand.”
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