The Group also controls and operates Liberty on London’s Regent Street, whose shares are quoted on AIM. This is a highly innovative store which combines quality and design in a broad range of clothes and luxury goods. Revenue in the six months ended 30 June 2009 was £25.3 million, continuing the increase over previous years. The market capitalisation of Liberty in its Half-Yearly Financial Report was £59 million.
The results for the year to 30 June 2009 reflect our strategy and foundations developed over the past 2 years. At the heart of this is the creation of Liberty as a global luxury brand across our four distinct business activities, with each based on a common heritage and shared support functions. These foundations have been consolidated through the creation of a dynamic international executive team capable of delivering our key objectives and goals over the medium term.
Our major focus in 2008 was to restructure and invest significantly in our retailing activities, particularly in the flagship store and our online sales facility, culminating in the “Renaissance of Liberty” which was launched by the actress Freida Pinto, of the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, in February 2009 to great acclaim, both from the public and the industry. Since the launch, I am pleased to report that trading has exceeded our expectations, delivering double-digit growth on comparative trading in 2008.
We successfully launched the Liberty transactional website in July 2008 which has developed rapidly since then, culminating in excellent trading performance in the run up to Christmas. Spanning a selection of the best in Beauty, Design, Fashion and Gifts, the response to our fashion offer indicates a huge potential for this part of our business. The worldwide potential of the website will be further enhanced by the global awareness of the Liberty brand name through the flagship store’s Renaissance as a leading curator of international Fashion, Design and Beauty.
The results for the year to 30 June 2009 reflect our strategy and foundations developed over the past 2 years. At the heart of this is the creation of Liberty as a global luxury brand across our four distinct business activities, with each based on a common heritage and shared support functions. These foundations have been consolidated through the creation of a dynamic international executive team capable of delivering our key objectives and goals over the medium term.
Our major focus in 2008 was to restructure and invest significantly in our retailing activities, particularly in the flagship store and our online sales facility, culminating in the “Renaissance of Liberty” which was launched by the actress Freida Pinto, of the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, in February 2009 to great acclaim, both from the public and the industry. Since the launch, I am pleased to report that trading has exceeded our expectations, delivering double-digit growth on comparative trading in 2008.
We successfully launched the Liberty transactional website in July 2008 which has developed rapidly since then, culminating in excellent trading performance in the run up to Christmas. Spanning a selection of the best in Beauty, Design, Fashion and Gifts, the response to our fashion offer indicates a huge potential for this part of our business. The worldwide potential of the website will be further enhanced by the global awareness of the Liberty brand name through the flagship store’s Renaissance as a leading curator of international Fashion, Design and Beauty.
