The Hut Group among Queen’s Award winners

The Hut Group, Pentland Brands, Celtic and Co, and Chidrensalon, were among the fashion firms awarded with the 2018 Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

Established in 1965 by Royal Warrant, The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, are awarded annually and aim to encourage the development of British business both domestically and internationally.

Online retail group, The Hut Group, which has seen its international sales grow by 89 percent since 2016, was awarded within the International Trade category, due to its overseas revenue growth and expansion, as it now ships to 195 destinations worldwide, selling products through its 166 sites in 35 languages.

Matthew Moulding, founder and chief executive of The Hut Group, said in a statement: “We are delighted to be recognised as part of The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, which celebrates the wealth of business talent that the UK has to offer.

“Receiving the prestigious International Trade award is testament to the ambition, innovation and dedication of our people in developing The Hut Group into an internationally renowned, British business.”

Also recognised in the International Trade category was sheepskin footwear brand Celtic and Co, maternity occasionwear brand Tiffany Rose, Pentland Brands, which owns brands including Speedo and Ellesse, luxury designer kidswear retailer Childrensalon, sportswear labels SBD Apparel and Zone3, and lifestyle gifting brand Wild and Wolf, which partners with fashion names including Ted Baker and Orla Kiely.

On winning the Queen’s Award, Wild and Wolf chief executive, Paul Taylor said in a statement: “It is a great honour to have been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade. We’ve experienced tremendous growth in our international trade, particularly in the last 3 years.

“Once a predominantly UK driven business, by the end of 2018 two-thirds of our business will be outside of the UK, with the USA being our single biggest market. We hope that winning this award will further drive prosperous international growth in markets such as Asia and in the EU. This coveted award is testament to the fantastic team we have here at Wild and Wolf, and we’re proud of our contribution in raising the global profile of great British design.”