Boden

Boden is a British clothing retailer, selling primarily online (96%), mail-order (catalogue) and retail (concessions and shops).

It was founded by Johnnie Boden in 1991 as a mailorder business, offering a small menswear range. Womenswear was launched a year later, followed by childrenswear in 1996.

The company currently sells in several countries, with websites for the UK, the US (where it is now the second biggest selling UK clothing brand behind Burberry), Germany and Australia. The value of Boden has been placed at over £300 million.

With its headquarters in London, Boden opened its first Leicestershire based distribution warehouse in 2002 (BC1) in Meridian Business Park, Braunstone. Soon after the move, Boden also occupied a second warehouse nearby BC2), increasing their operational footprint to 160,000 sq ft. Both warehouses were fitted-out with Apex racking solutions, heralding the start of an ongoing supplier relationship with the retailer.

The following years saw Boden’s business develop exponentially, to a point where the firm was at risk of outgrowing its existing warehousing space. Driven by increasing customers, particularly in womenswear, Boden had opened a number of concessions in a handful of John Lewis stores, with more planned. Also and in addition to their shop in Hanger Lane, London, more shops were being proposed with sites identified on Chelsea’s King’s Road (since opened) and the Westfield Shopping Centre.