High street fashion retailer New Look could be put up for an auction within the next 12 months, according to reports.
Sky News has learned that the owners, led by the investment firm Alcentra, have begun discussions with investment bankers to advise on a strategic review that will likely trigger this process. It follows unsolicited approaches for the business.
A spokesperson for New Look said the company did not “comment on rumour and speculation”.
“Management are focused on running the company and executing the strategy for long-term growth. The company is trading well and has supportive shareholders.”
In April 2025, it was announced that New Look’s shareholders, Alcentra and Brait, invested £30mn of new equity into the company to fuel its digital transformation.
This latest investment was earmarked for new technology and systems to optimise the customer online experience.
The funds will be used to modernise New Look’s website and app, improving search functionality, product discovery, and streamlining the checkout process for a more seamless customer journey.
A double-page company profile in the recently published UK Fashion 2025 report looks at New Look’s journey from a single women’s fashion store in Taunton, Somerset in 1966, to the operator of 385 shops across the UK.
As it faces a challenging retail landscape, the fashion retailer is turning its focus to its ecommerce offering with the aim of becoming “the number one online destination for feel-good fashion”, the profile stresses.
Read the full profile by downloading the UK Fashion 2025 report.
It offers an in-depth look at the state of the UK fashion market. It examines this trend-driven retail landscape, highlighting the increasing integration of online and physical shopping, with digital innovation changing how UK shoppers discover and purchase fashion and accessories.
Burberry, Debenhams, FatFace, Next and John Lewis are also profiled.
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