In The Style founder hands CEO reins to former Very MD

In The Style founder Adam Frisby has handed over the CEO reins of the listed influencer-led fashion retailer to Very Group's former retail managing director Sam Perkins.

Frisby, who founded the business in 2013 and floated it on AIM earlier this year, will now take on the role of Chief Brand Officer, an executive board position with with responsibility for developing the group’s influencer partnerships and the brand’s creative direction.

Perkins had been managing director of online retail giant Very Group's retail division since 2018, having joined the business in 2015. Prior to that he held senior roles at Tesco, Nestle and PepsiCo. Perkins had announced he was standing down from Very at the end of this year and has been replaced by former Fenwick CEO Robbie Feather.

Frisby developed In The Style's innovative business model in which influencers get a share of sales from collaborative collections, thus ensuring each side had a vested interest in its success. It has collaborated with television personalities and online influencers including Stacey Solomon, Alison Hammond, Billie Faiers and Dani Dyer.

He said of the appointment of Perkins: “I’m really pleased to welcome Sam to In The Style. Not only does he have a fantastic track record at some amazing retail businesses, but it’s also clear that we share a common vision for the future of In The Style.

"With the scale of the business that we are today, and with the many growth opportunities we have to go after, I felt that now is the right time to further strengthen our senior management team. Sam brings relevant experience of scaling up very successful retail brands and his appointment will enable me to focus on the areas of the business where the Board and I believe I can make the biggest contributions to our future success. I’m really looking forward to working closely with Sam to successfully grow this wonderful brand and am incredibly excited about its future.”

Perkins added: “In The Style is a fantastic, innovative brand at an incredibly exciting time in its growth journey. The brand stands out in the market for its truly differentiated model and authentic inclusive brand values.

“Adam is an inspirational founder and I have huge admiration for the business that he has built. I am looking forward to working alongside him and the rest of the senior management team to continue the group’s exciting growth and successfully deliver on its significant long-term potential.”

At its last trading update in September for the period from April to August, In The Style has said it delivered group revenue up 45% year on year and e-commerce Gross Order Value almost 50% up but warned that profits would be hit by the supply chain issues that have dogged the entire industry. The company's clothing is available through its e-commerce site but also via a recently signed deal with Asda that has led to its availability across 100 of its stores.