Dorothy Perkins
Established over 90 years ago, Dorothy Perkins is now one of the biggest fashion retailers in the country, with nearly 600 UK stores and over 90 international outlets.
The brand provides customers with affordable, feminine fashion and a shopping experience they clearly love – a jersey top is sold every two seconds and the store has won numerous awards, the most recent being for its campaign with celebrity stylist Gok Wan.
Dorothy Perkins ranges are updated weekly in store and daily online. The brand offers sizes 6 to 22, and a wide range of collections including Tall, Petite and Maternity.
Customer Profile
The brand's core target market is 25-35 year old women who take a close interest in fashion, and to whom quality, fit and price are important. Customers look to Dorothy Perkins for style inspiration on new trends and how to wear them, plus advice on how to dress for their body shape.
1909
The brand begins life as 'Ladies Hosiery and Underwear Limited'.
1916
The company expands to 12 shops. The impressively priced five-shilling (25 pence) blouses and range of knitwear are introduced, and the brand’s reputation for great value for money begins.
1939
The trading name 'Dorothy Perkins' is adopted, inspired by the name of the classic rambling rose.
At the outbreak of the Second World War Dorothy Perkins is trading from 75 shops.
1966
Dorothy Perkins opens its 250th shop, there is now a Dorothy Perkins on most British high streets. Cash registers are also introduced in all the brand's stores.
1969
Beginning a six year working relationship with Biba, Dorothy Perkins buys a controlling stake in the famous clothes company. Dorothy Perkins sells Biba make-up from its own stores and funds the opening of 'Big Biba', an iconic store on Kensington High street complete with its own roof gardens and pink flamingos!
1977
Dorothy Perkins acquires its first store on the most famous shopping street of them all - Oxford Street, London. At 7,500 feet this store is now the largest Dorothy Perkins.
1979
Dorothy Perkins is bought by the Burton Group.
1987
The 'Secrets' lingerie and nightwear range is introduced in Dorothy Perkins and is an instant hit.
1988
The Dorothy Perkins Account Card is launched.
1993
The Dorothy Perkins 'Maternity' range is rolled out in selected city stores. The range offers expectant mothers fashionable, affordable and comfortable maternity clothing in sizes 8-20.
1994
The company is one of the first to harness the power of celebrity by choosing Helena Christensen as the 'face' of Dorothy Perkins. The strapline at the time is 'where you can afford to look good'.
1997
Yasmin Le Bon joins Helena Christensen as another 'face' of Dorothy Perkins.
1998
The Burton Group Plc becomes Arcadia Group Plc. Dorothy Perkins is now part of the same family as Burton, Evans, Hawkshead, Principles, Racing Green, Topshop and Topman.
The 'Petite' range is introduced into selected stores, offering women 5ft 3in and under a collection to fit and flatter them.
1999
An online shopping facility is launched at dorothyperkins.com where customers can shop Dorothy Perkins 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
2001
A 'Tall' range is launched in selected stores for women 5ft 8in and over, made up of specially designed pieces for the taller woman, as well as adapted trends from the core Dorothy Perkins range.
2002
Philip Green, owner of Bhs, purchases the Arcadia Group Plc.
2003
The Dorothy Perkins 15,000 foot flagship store opens on London's Oxford Street above Bond Street tube station.
2004
Dorothy Perkins launches a partnership with the charity Breast Cancer Care to help raise money for people affected by breast cancer. To date the brand has raised over £2million through various fundraising and retail activity.
2007
The brand begins working with the Woodland Trust charity to help plant more trees and care for the environment in the UK. So far the brand has raised over £650,000, which is enough to plant over 130,000 trees!
2008
Gok Wan, TV presenter and celebrity stylist, takes part in an incredibly popular campaign with Dorothy Perkins, offering customers style and body shape advice.
Dorothy Perkins10,000 sq ft, northern flagship store opens in the Trafford Centre, Manchester.
2009
Today Dorothy Perkins has nearly 600 UK stores and international outlets in 21 countries including Spain, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Turkey and Singapore.
The website dorothyperkins.com is the brand’s largest store, stocking over 2000 products, sizes 6-22 and updated daily with new fashion. It also features trend and body shape advice and receives approximately 350,000 visitors every week.
To give customers a greater bredth of product choice Dorothy Perkins begins stocking other exciting fashion brands including Uttam, Tfnc, Vila, Vero Moda, Suzy Smith and Fiorelli.
