Key facts
- Dunelm has acquired the intellectual property and design archive of luxury home decor company Designers Guild.
- The acquisition followed a period where Designers Guild posted a £1.7m pre-tax loss and a 7% drop in sales.
- Designers Guild will continue to operate independently under a licensing agreement with Dunelm.
- Founder Tricia Guild and CEO Simon Jeffreys will remain with the company.
- Dunelm recently reported a 6.3% increase in total sales to £462m for the 13 weeks ending March 29, 2025.
Dunelm has acquired the intellectual property and design archive of luxury home decor company Designers Guild for an undisclosed sum. The deal comes after Designers Guild faced financial difficulties, posting a £1.7 million pre-tax loss in the year to March 31, 2023, with sales declining by 7% to £39.8 million.
Despite the acquisition of its IP and design archive, Designers Guild will continue to operate its stores and business operations independently under a licensing agreement with Dunelm. Founder and creative director Tricia Guild and group chief executive Simon Jeffreys will remain in their roles, along with the existing management team. Guild stated that the collaboration would help preserve the integrity of their designs and ensure the brand's ongoing legacy.
This move follows Dunelm's recent acquisition of Irish soft furnishings retailer Home Focus at Hickeys in November. The homewares giant recently reported robust sales growth, with total sales increasing by 6.3% to £462 million for the 13-week period ending March 29, 2025.