It was celebrations all round at the weekend, as gifts, homewares and fashion multiple Oliver Bonas celebrated the company’s 30th anniversary, alongside news that the company had rung up profits of some £9m in the year to 31 December. Eight new stores were opened in 2022, with the roll out continuing in 2023.
From one small shop in West London’s Fulham in 1993 – selling bags and fashion accessories that founder Olly Tress brought back from Hong Kong for friends – the business has grown to over 80 stores in the UK and Ireland and counting, becoming an aspirational lifestyle brand. “For me success is always about believing that there are things that you could do better, and that you want to do better,” Olly told GiftsandHome.net earlier this year.
Today, stores sell fashion to furniture, alongside gift-led homewares, jewellery, scarves, bags, home fragrancing products, gift books, stationery, lighting, soft furnishings and greeting cards. Products remain aspirational, reflecting the original concept of selling ‘interesting gifts for interesting people’, with an expanding in house design studio creating exclusive own brand product.
“People seem to want to shop on the high street again,” Olly told The Times in July. “We’ve spent an eye-watering amount of money on re-fitting our shops – something that I couldn’t have conceived years ago – but it means they’re still going to look good in ten years time.”
Above: Olly Tress, founder and managing director of Oliver Bonas. outside the recently opened Chichester store.
