PrettyLittleThing CEO Umar Kamani departs business as he looks to build new brands

PrettyLittleThing Founder Umar Kamani has stepped down from his role as CEO after 12 years.

Kamani, who started the business with his brother in 2012, announced his decision on social media yesterday and now plans to pursue “new challenges” with the potential to “build new brands”.

He added that he will still continue to support the Boohoo-owned online retailer on “some projects” whilst it searches for a new CEO.

In a statement on social media, Kamani said: "After 12 years as CEO and Founder of PrettyLittleThing I have made the difficult decision to step down from my position as CEO.

"12 amazing years that changed my life and I will be forever grateful for all those memories. I’m at the stage in my life where I need to set myself new challenges and goals and build new brands that hopefully you all love and support as much as you did with this one.

"When I first had the idea of setting up this brand, I could never have imagined what we would go on to achieve. Since our humble beginnings in 2012, PLT has gone on to eventually become one of the biggest fashion brands in the world."

Since starting the business, Kamani has overseen PrettyLittleThing's explosive growth to become a global brand now worth an estimated £3.8 billion.

Today, the business is known for its celebrity collaborators, including Kylie Jenner and Molly-Mae Hague, who is also its Creative Director.

In 2020, Kamani sold his remaining 34% stake in PrettyLittleThing to Boohoo Group, which is run by his father Mahmud Kamani.

At the time, Boohoo Group said the deal was an “important further step towards achieving its vision to lead the fashion ecommerce market globally by accelerating full ownership of a brand that is in high growth with enormous growth potential ahead of it”.

Last week, PrettyLittleThing opened its new showroom in Central London. Following the success of similar openings in Paris, Miami and Los Angeles, the new space is an appointment-only showroom welcoming influencers, press, celebrities and stylists.