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About us.

FROM DAY ONE OUR AIM HAS BEEN TO BRING A NEW APPROACH AND FRESH THINKING TO OUR INDUSTRY.

We chose the name Fashion Central because it best expresses our approach and thinking, as well as our deep passion and commitment to the brands we represent, the retailers we work with and how we want to run our business. With love.

We have grown fast over the past twelve years, and we currently work with a wide network of the best and most influential fashion retailers in the UK and Europe, as well as some of the most dynamic and interesting fashion brands. Fashion Central is the next logical step and the perfect partner to our European clients.

Our X-factor is our own brand personality.

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OUR BRAND

“Our years of industry knowledge, wealth of contacts and expertise are massively important to our success, but we also believe that our ‘X-factor’ is our own brand personality, and the pro-active, enthusiastic and dynamic approach with which we conduct all our working relationships. We are committed to undertake our work, and run our business, with passion, compassion and commitment.”

Hugo Deane and Michael Shalders, co-founders, Fashion Central.

OUR HISTORY

It was love at first sip, or rather Love Brands at first sip, as fashion retail experts and Industry acquaintances, Michael Shalders and Hugo Deane, first kicked around the idea of starting their own fashion sales and distribution agency, whilst sipping Hemingway Daiquiris in Havana (as you do), in the spring of 2010.

But it wasn’t just the rum talking, because by that summer they had signed their first distribution agreement with Custo Barcelona, and Love Brands was really up and running. By 2014, Nü Denmark and Anonyme Designers had joined the Love Brands stable. In 2015, Love Brands won the coveted Drapers ‘Distributor of the Year’ award and in 2017 an exclusive distribution agreement was signed with Guess. In 2018 Joop!, Invicta Bags and Munich Footwear came on board.

Love Brands now encompasses 600 clients, 15 staff and three showrooms, whilst Kendall & Kylie is the latest brand to feel the Love Brands, love.

Core values.

Our Vision

We aim to be the best – delivering significant commercial success for our partner brands through multi-channel, wholesale and retail operations.

Our Dedication

No one works harder than us to ensure the success of the brands we work with, and our positive, proactive perspective vitalises brand momentum.

Our Expertise

We know that great partnerships build great brands, and our friendly, highly collaborative approach, stimulates innovation and delivers compelling product.

Our Reach

Our broad skillsets, strategic thinking and wide understanding cover wholesale, digital, marketing, PR, retail and agency, and our integrated ethos is proven effective in building brands.

Our Dedication

We pride ourselves on working with a wide array of brands from niche boutique to global giants, and with retailers ranging from individual stores to major multi-nationals.

Our Knowledge

Our team draws on decades of second-to-none sector experience, and we are uniquely positioned to advise brands on all aspects of the retail fashion market.

Over 10 years of Fashion Central

2021
  • 10th Anniversary of Love Brands celebration – exclusive UK distribution agreement Kendall + Kylie brand.
  • New brand logo and website launched – investment in social media.
2020
  • Major investment in showroom and digital with clear focus and support of our brands and clients to trade through the pandemic successfully.
  • Love Brands signs exclusive distribution agreement with Joop! Menswear, Invicta Bags and Munich Footwear.
2019
  • A staggering 240% year-on-year growth in annual sales with over 600 clients – head count increases to 17 full time employees.
2018
  • Love Brands sign exclusive distribution agreement with all main Guess divisions, Guess Jeans, Guess Accessories and Guess Intimate Apparel.
  • Love Brands expands team to 15 full time employees.
2017
  • Love Brands signs exclusive distribution agreement with Guess Footwear.
  • Menswear division established – creation of new roles Head of Menswear and Head of Womenswear.
2015
  • Drapers Independent Award Winners – Distributor of the Year – Love Brands expands team to ten full time employees.
  • 350 Independent clients achieved over 400 doors and doubled revenue.
2014
  • Love Brands secures exclusive UK/Irish distribution with Nü Denmark and Anonyme Designers.
2013
  • 190 Independent clients achieved over 250 doors.
  • Drapers Independents Award Finalist – Mexx concessions launched.
2012
  • Opening of Custo Barcelona flagship store Westfield, Stratford in time for Olympics.
2010
  • Spring 2010 – Company idea developed whilst sipping a cool Hemingway Daiquiri in Havana, Cuba.
  • Summer 2010 – Signed Distribution Agreement with Custo Barcelona.
  • December 2010 – Love Brands Limited incorporated with three employees.

Meet the team.

Michael Shalders

Joint Owner, Sales Director

Hugo Deane FCMI

Joint Owner, Managing Director

Charlotte Woods

Head of Womenswear & Marketing

Ryan Henry

Menswear Account Manager

Richard Wilcox

Footwear Sales Manager

Jade Connolly

Office and HR Manager

Maria Roman

Purchase and Logistics Manager

Laban Leake

Sales Support Administrator & Showroom Assistant

Sally Greenwood

Financial Controller

Rossana Vittorielli

Credit Control Manager

Sarah Deane

Marketing Executive

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Our Awards and milestones

In 2022 we
celebrate 12 years
since the company
was incorporated.

Love Brands is a proud finalist of the coveted Drapers Independent Awards 2013 and Winner of Drapers Independent Awards 2015, Best Agency or Distributor of the Year.

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CAREERS

Join us.
For over 12 years, we’ve worked with a steady stream of the worlds best fashion brands.

Find out more
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Michael Shalders

Michael has worked with some of the world’s leading fashion brands. He is an entrepreneurial thinker, specialising in sustainable sales campaigns. He always leads from the front.

Out of work he enjoys socialising with friends, golfing, cycling and anything that comes with an excuse for a beer or a glass of good red wine. But don’t try and tempt him with a curry because spicy food is a no go.

Joint Owner, Sales Director

Hugo Deane FCMI

Hugo is an experienced international fashion Sales Director with an outstanding track record of success in the competitive fashion retail, wholesale, and franchise sector. He has strong organisational skills and an instinct for identifying and maximising new business growth opportunities.

A big family man (he has four children), apart from a good bottle of wine, there’s nothing Hugo likes more than kicking a football around with his son.

Joint Owner, Managing Director

Charlotte Woods

With a BSc in International Fashion Marketing, fashion is in Charlotte’s DNA. She arrives at Love Brands via stints at HQ for luxury brands Aquascutum, Burberry, and Harrods.

The office buzzes with her positive energy and ability to get along with anyone. She’s a great ideas generator with her fingers on fashion’s pulse. She is also known to enjoy the finer things in life.

Head of Womenswear & Marketing

Ryan Henry

With prior experience as a Brand Manager and Area Sales Manager for Wolsey, and Douglas and Grahame, Ryan possesses a wealth of knowledge in menswear. He is known for his amiable and affable personality, radiating a positive energy in the workplace that never fails to brighten up everyone's day. Ryan is a devoted family man, with two young boys and a girl, who he loves cooking for. When Ryans not with the family he’ll be watching West Ham Football team.

Menswear Account Manager

Richard Wilcox

Richard used to play professional football, which might explain his nimble footed approach to fashion sales. He loves to score a big deal but we’re not too sure about his celebration dance. Always positive and upbeat, he loves unwinding in the beaches and bars of Marbella.

Footwear Sales Manager

Jade Connolly

We don’t know where we’d be without Jade, as she’s the main cog in the Love Brands wheel, keeping us all in motion. Her career started at Esprit after a degree in Sociology with Psychology, no less. Probably just the qualification to help keep us running at optimum. Organised and efficient at work, she’s as fun as they come on a big night out.

Office and HR Manager

Maria Roman

Maria’s admin skills are second to none, honed in the commercial environments of Esprit and Forever 21. She’s a real whizz on Excel and a great steadying influence in the Love Brands office, no matter how hectic things get. She also loves to bake and potter about in her garden, making the world a greener, better place.

Purchase and Logistics Manager

Laban Leake

aWith a degree in Fashion Design, Laban is often found organising the fabulous collections in our showroom and assisting the needs of the sales support team. Surrounded by the brands samples is where he thrives. Outside of work Laban is an adventurous soul with a diary full of activities. He likes to keep himself busy by making clothes, dabbling in DIY, mountaineering, travelling, scuba diving, going to gigs and making pottery… The list goes on!

Sales Support Administrator & Showroom Assistant

Sally Greenwood

As Billy Joel’s No 1 fan, Sally sometimes confuses Wapping High Street with Manhattan’s Lower East Side, but that’s OK as her number crunching skills are awesome. But it’s not all tap, tap, tap on the calculator – she’s also a handbag connoisseur who loves spending time in the nail spa. Her secret vice? Disney – yes, every Disney ever made.

Financial Controller

Rossana Vittorielli

As her name might suggest, Rossana is a native Italian, washed up on the Love Brands shores with typical Latin spirit and sass. She has over ten years’ finance experience and is a dab hand at managing payment flow. She’s also the queen of customer rapport with a penchant for nifty gifs.

Credit Control Manager

Sarah Deane

With a degree in fashion journalism, Sarah provides a wide range of marketing services to the brands in Love Brand’s client portfolio. Think PR, social media, e-dm, trade shows, you name it. Out of work she lives for the weekend where music plays a big part in her world. She loves a party, and Instagram, of course.

Marketing Executive
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Ryan

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Charlotte

Your request will be sent to Charlotte who runs the relevant account.