Is FatFace worth it?+
FatFace tends to be worth it if you value relaxed British lifestyle style and comfort over a rock-bottom price. As a British lifestyle brand spanning women's, men's, footwear and accessories, its appeal is everyday, easy-wearing pieces. It is not the cheapest, so the value lands best when you want dependable casualwear you will reach for often.
Is FatFace good quality?+
Broadly, yes, for its casual-lifestyle category. FatFace is a British brand built around comfortable, versatile everyday clothing across men's, women's, footwear and accessories. Shoppers generally rate the staples like t-shirts, jumpers and hoodies as solid, which is the heart of what the brand does.
How does FatFace compare to White Stuff or Joules?+
All three sit in the same relaxed British lifestyle lane, so it comes down to feel. FatFace leans into easy, comfort-led casualwear with a coastal, outdoorsy spirit rooted in its ski-resort origins, while peers like White Stuff and Joules each have their own print-heavy or country-leaning identities. Pick the house whose everyday aesthetic matches your wardrobe.
Which FatFace pieces should I buy first?+
Start with the casual staples FatFace is known for: relaxed everyday tops, jumpers and outdoorsy basics, then branch into footwear and accessories to complete the look. Because the brand's whole identity is comfortable lifestyle wear, the wardrobe workhorses are the most reliable first buy.
Where can I buy FatFace?+
FatFace is a multichannel retailer with an international digital business, over 180 stores in the UK and around 20 stores in the US. So you can shop in person across Britain and at a smaller US footprint, or online wherever you are.
Where does the name FatFace come from?+
The name has a ski-slope origin. Founders Tim Slade and Jules Leaver named the brand FatFace after the Face de Bellevarde slope in Val-d'Isère, a fitting nod to the mountain roots of a business that began selling clothing to skiers.
How did FatFace start?+
FatFace was founded in 1988 in the French ski resort of Méribel by Tim Slade, a former policeman, and Jules Leaver, a business graduate. They bought T-shirts wholesale, printed them with resort-specific designs and sold them to fellow skiers, at first just to fund their own skiing, before opening their first shop on London's Fulham Road in 1993.
Who owns FatFace now?+
FatFace is owned by Next plc, which announced its acquisition in October 2023 for a total value of £115.2 million. Next holds 97% of the equity while FatFace's management holds the remaining 3%, and in September 2024 the online operations migrated to Next's Total Platform.
Has FatFace changed hands much over the years?+
Quite a lot. After the founders sold 40% to Livingbridge in 2000, Advent International stepped in by 2005, then Bridgepoint Capital acquired FatFace in 2007 for £360 million. A 2020 debt restructuring shifted control to the group's lenders, before Next plc bought the company in 2023.
Did FatFace really suffer a ransomware attack?+
Yes. In March 2021, FatFace revealed to customers and staff that it had been hit by a ransomware attack in January 2021, and that it paid a $2 million ransom to the Conti cyber-criminal group to unlock encrypted data. It was a notable incident in the brand's recent history.
Is FatFace a UK or US brand?+
FatFace is firmly a British lifestyle brand, with its roots in 1980s ski resorts and its first shop on London's Fulham Road. That said, it has expanded internationally, running an online business and around 20 stores in the US alongside its 180-plus UK stores.
