company profile

C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
ABOUT US
Ariella designs, manufactures, wholesales and retails exclusive and original Ladies
fashion, cocktail and eveningwear.
Ariella is a leading member of various Trade Associations including:
— UKFT The UK Fashion and Textiles Association, of all major trade bodies in the
industry, including the British Fashion Council (of which Ariella was a founder member)
and The Savile Row Bespoke Tailor’s Guild.
Celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary it has been at the forefront of British Fashion since it
was founded in 1966 and is acclaimed as one of Europe’s leading fashion houses for
Special Occasion wear for the fashion conscious woman of today.
— FDPA The Fashion & Design Protection Association, of which Ariella is a
Founder Member.
It’s clients include some of the best known UK and European department stores and
multiple retailers, selling under the Ariella brands or clients’ own labels.
— SEDEX The Supplier Ethical Data Exchange which is a nonprofit membership
organization dedicated to driving improvements in responsible and ethical business
practices in global supply chains.
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
A R I E L L A H A S P E D I G R E E A N D H E R I TA G E
Ariella started trading in Carnaby Street in the swinging
psychedelia of Sixties London.
It designed, manufactured and retailed its own designs,
expanding to some 11 retail outlets in London‘s West
End and surrounds, including three in Carnaby Street,
two stores on Oxford Street, one in Duke Street opposite
Selfridges, as well as franchise stores in Laussane,
Switzerland, Washington DC and Chicago Illinois, USA.
HISTORY
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Vintage Aristos and Ariella Designs from the sixties
onwards are now selling online as Collector’s Vintage
Pieces, such as the Chenille Coat above, recently retailing
on TopShop Vintage online for £140.
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
ARIE LLA HAS WO N AC C L AIM AND FASHION
AWARDS IN EACH O F IT S 5 D EC AD ES OF T RAD ING
I n t h e 7 0 ’s
I n t h e 8 0 ’s
Ariella was described as, “The Power in
Carnaby Street“, by Punch Magazine,
1970s.
Ariella won two IPC Woman Fashion
Awards for:
Best Cocktail Dress
Best Evening Dress
I n t h e 9 0 ’s
Ariella won the British Apparel Export
Award 1996, presented by HRH
Princess Anne in 1997.
I n t h e 0 0 ’s
Ariella won, The Queen‘s Award for
Export Achievement 1998, which was
celebrated by its visit to Her Majesty The
Queen and Prince Philip at Buckingham
Palace in 1999.
I n t h e 2 0 1 0 ’s
Ariella won the UK Fashion Export
Award 2008 for outstanding export
achievements in women’s fashion.
Ariella won the UKFT Export Awards
2010 in the High Octane Glamour
category.
The award was presented at the
Landmark Hotel, London, by Her Royal
Highness Princess Anne.
Ariella won the HSBC Business Thinking
2010 Competition for the London
Region.
AWA R D S
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
PRODUCTION:
C A PA C I T Y
& QUALITY
CONROL
A r i e l l a ’s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n
offices, North London.
A r i e l l a ’s H e a d O f f i c e i n
Hampstead, North London.
All production is processed through strict critical path procedures
in all its sub contractor factories in the UK and offshore.
At its headquarters in Hampstead - Highgate, North London,
Ariella employs some 32 staff and has an experienced and
technically efficient Design Studio including designers, pattern
cutters, CAD departments, sample machinists, quality controllers,
production and dispatch departments.
It employs factories and sub-contractors in London, Romania,
Bulgaria, Turkey, India, Sri Lanka, China and Vietnam, giving
it an unlimited capacity of production units per month and
enabling it to deal with any multiple orders, which it does on a
regular basis.
All its factories are bound by Ariella’s Code of Conduct and are
compliant approved by Sedex, adhering to the strictest quality
control procedures and standards.
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Its team is expert in dealing with most European and UK multiple
and online clients’ garment specifications.
It also houses their offices, boardroom and Bespoke and Haute
Couture Boutique for celebrity and VIP clients.
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
The ARIELLA team at the
UKFT Export Awards 2010
Achilleas Constantinou, LLB (Hons) London
Founder and CEO
Ariella Team
Our combined talents give us long and invaluable
experience of the fashion business, excellent technical
skills, unbeatable innovative designs and passionate
sales promotion.
Achilleas Constantinou
A graduate of Kings College London, with a LLB Hons
degree in Law. He is a leading member of the British
Fashion Industry having served on numerous Trade
Committees and Associations during his 40+ years in the
trade. He is a founder of The British Fashion Council, an
ex-member of the Graduate Fashion Week Industry and
Media Board, and a Board member of The UK Fashion
and Textiles Association which is the overseeing body of
the British Fashion industry. He is also a chairman of The
Fashion and Design Protection Association.
Weekly meetings ensure synchronised objectives are
pursued.
THE
ARIELLA
TEAM
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
THE
ARIELLA
TEAM
M r P o l y To u m b a s
Managing Director
Lana Marie Constantine
D i r e c t o r, S e n i o r S a l e s E x e c u t i v e & C r e a t i v e
Director of the Ariella Couture brand.
Mr Poly Toumbas
Poly epitomises the open minded philosophy of Ariella,
having been with the firm for over 30 years, he has
worked his way up from a Junior Stock Control clerk
to Dispatch Manager then Production Manager, then
Sales Executive, then Sales Director and now Managing
Director. He knows every part of the business inside out
and is well known and respected for his expertise and
integrity by not only his loyal team, but all company
suppliers and clients alike.
Lana Marie Constantine
Lana has been bought up surrounded by Fashion, as the
CEO’s only daughter. Her numerous talents include singing,
and was in fact signed by Matthew Knowles (father of
Beyonce), performed with Kelly Rowland and has written
and recorded numerous wonderful songs (unpublished) but
preferred the world of Fashion to the world of Music. She has
worked in and learnt every aspect of the business over the
last 8 years and her flair for the business, has now seen her
become the company’s Creative Director. She is also a founder
member on the Board of UKFT Rise which represents young
emerging talent in the fashion industry. She won the RBS
Focused Women’ Pearl Global Award 2015 for creative and
innovative entrepreneurship. Lana has been a guest speaker at
numerous seminars encouraging young entrepreneurs.
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Ve r i t y We e d o n
Director of Operations
Felicity Doubleday
Director of Sales
Verity Weedon
THE
ARIELLA
TEAM
After graduating with a BA (hons) degree in Fashion Verity
previously worked for ASOS and Next before joining Ariella
in 2010. Her determination and managerial skills quickly led
to her successive promotions and now oversees the running of
the Design Rooms, Quality Control and Garment technology
department; becoming an integral part of the Ariella team.
Building great relationships with all members of staff, and
also our clients and suppliers, Verity endeavours to maintain
Ariella’s reputation by ensuring the companies high standards
of working are always a priority. Verity has an enquiring mind
and a great eye for detail, and therefore is always proactive in
finding new ways to improve and update the company’s general
running’s to achieve optimum quality and efficiency. As Director
of Operations, Verity has been successful in implementing new
systems, strategies and procedures enabling us to manage
Ariella’s expansion efficiently.
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Felicity Doubleday
Felicity as a BA Hons graduate in Fashion, was selected to
show at London Graduate Fashion Week, and having gained
invaluable experience working with companies such as Hussein
Chalayan and Allegra Hicks, she then wanted to learn more
about the wholesale and manufacturing side of the fashion
business. This bought her to Ariella where she worked her
way up in the company, from PA to the directors, where she
was involved in launching the Ariella Couture brand with a
spectacular catwalk show.She progressed up the Sales and
Product Development ladder to her current Director of Sales
position where she heads the team of account managers in the
sales department. With an eye for key new fabrics, prints and
silhouettes, Felicity has a great understanding of not only what
customers want but also what they should be trialling in their
stores. Felicity is confident and keen to continue to grow the
wholesale side of Ariella and further increase Ariella’s presence
within the fashion industry.
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Founders of Ariella, brothers Aristos and Achilleas in the 70s
H A S A L WAY S E M P L O Y E D
F R E S H A N D I N N O VA T I V E D E S I G N E R S . . .
T H I S I S W H Y A R I E L L A’ S U S P O F O R I G I N A L
E X C L U S I V I T Y H A S A L WAY S B E E N M A I N T A I N E D .
Aristos & Achilleas
Ariella’s past Designers have included Aristos, a Graduate
of the London College of Fashion, who founded the
company with his brother Achilleas (pictured above), was
the first young designer to bring Couture to the high street,
and who created the famous Chenille Coat that was
DESIGNERS
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called ‘The London Girl’s Uniform’, the famous china print
chiffon double layer dress, and the fox fur and velvet coat
and trouser suit (as pictured right). Since 1985 Achilleas
has directed design through his own vast experience and
by employing innovative talent.
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Anthony Price styles
Christina Stambolian with Princess Diana,
M r & M r s C o n s t a n t i n o u a n d t h e C h a i r m a n o f S o t h e b y ’s
Anthony Price who dressed such stars as Michelle Pfieffer
and Jerry Hall. One of his styles is pictured above.
Christina Stambolian pictured above (2nd from left) with
Princess Diana, Mr & Mrs Constantinou and the Chairman
of Sotheby’s, London. Christina designed Princess Diana’s
famous Revenge dress which sold for $74,000 at the
Sotheby’s auction, New York, 1997. She is now a valued
consultant designer on the Ariella Couture Collection.
DESIGNERS
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Naomi Campbell
Rachel Williams
Beverley Knight
J o Wo o d
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Nicolas Georgiou – Graduate of Saint Martins School of
Art, London. Nicolas has worked with some of Britain’s
best designers, Including Vivienne Westwood, John
Galliano, and Rifat Ozbek. On establishing his own label,
he showed on the catwalk during London Fashion Week
and Paris Sur-La -Mode. Nominated for British Designer
of the Year at the Albert Hall. His collections were selling
to Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Whistles and many more
stores in the UK, New York, Paris and Japan. His previous
commercial work has spanned from Design Director at
Ossie Clark and Sub-Couture to Head of Design for
womenswear at Barbour International and creative leather
designer for Kanye West. Nicolas has dressed many
Celebrities over the years, as shown above and we are
delighted he is now heading The Design Team at Ariella.
DESIGNERS
Nicolas Georgiou - Ariella Head of Design
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
WE ARE DIFFERENT FROM OUR
COMPETITORS BECAUSE…
Ariella has always been at the forefront of British fashion
because it always produces... EXCLUSIVE, ORIGINAL &
FEMININE fashion.
“It looks like handmade fashion because it is.
It is Designer fashion at an affordable price.
them and crucially we have a woman in mind
We create garments on the stand, we hand craft
who we’re designing for”
—Achilleas Costantinou, CEO
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
WE SELL TO
The Wholesale Division sells under clients’ own labels or
under our wholesale brand Lana Marie by Ariella. We
sell to some of the best retailers in the UK and Europe.
In the UK its current clients include such accounts as House
of Fraser Stores, including Biba, Untold Kenneth Cole,
Pied a Tierre, Mary Portas and Episode, John Lewis,
Phase Eight, Debenhams, Laura Ashley, Coast, M&S,
Hobbs, Austin Reed, BHS, and overseas C&A, El Corte
Inglés, Halonen and many more…
WHOLESALE
DIVISON
Ariella is pleased to report that feedback from its UK
& Export multiple clients confirms that Ariella styles
are currently selling at attractively high full price sellthroughs.
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House of Fraser lookbook with ARIELLA dress exclusively
for HoF as seen in Vogue. Ariella is proud to be one of
HoF’s key suppliers.
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
A few of ARIELLA’s designs exclusively for John Lewis,
including the ‘Uma Dress’ which recently featured on
BBCs ‘Hustle’.
An example of an ARIELLA dress exclusively designed
for Laura Ashley and featured on their website.
Examples of Ariella designs created exclusively for
Debenhams.
WE SELL TO...
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Examples of ARIELLA dresses exclusively
designed and produced for Phase Eight.
Ariella is proud to be one of Phase Eight’s key suppliers.
Ariella is a proud supplier to M&S Best of British
department featuring high quality garments in silks and
tweeds which are all manufactured in the UK
WE SELL TO...
Examples of Ariella designs created exclusively for Coast.
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C&A is one of the biggest retailers in the world with over
1,500 stores in Europe. Ariella’s export clients include
C&A in Germany and Worldwide. Ariella is proud to be
one of C&A’s key suppliers.
Other export clients include El Corte Ingles in Spain,
Cubus, Vivikes, Til Henne and Halonen in Scandinavia
and many more. Mail order + online clients in Europe
have historically included, Ellos in Sweden, Charles
Veillon, Ackerman and Vedia in Switzerland, Quelle and
Universal Versand in Germany and Austria. In the UK
the company has dealt with such mail order companies
as GUS, Empire Stores, Grattans and Freemans, and
currently with John Lewis, House of Fraser, Debenhams
and Shopstyle.
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Ariella produced the launch limited edition union jack
uniforms and classic, black, red and pewter uniforms for
The Playboy Club, London.
Other Wholesale Divisions:
→ Ariella Plus
→ Ariella Casino
→ Tailoring
→ Knitwear
ARIELLA
PLUS
ARIELLA
CASINO
In 2009 Ariella introduced outsize fashion to its product
range. Due entirely to its multiple clients demanding the
flair of Ariella designs for their outsize market. It sells this
range in sizes 18-32 UK, and always in exclusive fabrics
and exciting designs, to such clients as Ann Harvey of the
Alexon Group and Evans of the Arcadia Group.
Ariella designs and dresses the croupiers and staff
of London’s Top Casino’s, including:
— The Ritz
— The Playboy Club, London
— The Palm Beach
— Les Ambassadeurs
— Aspinals
— Crockfords
— London Park Tower
— The Clermont
— The Rendezvous
— The Mint
— The Sportsman
— The Casino at The Empire, Leicester Square
WE SELL TO...
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Ariella Couture tailored suit.
TA I L O R I N G
DIVISION
In 2009 Ariella introduced this
new division of high fashion
tailored trousers, skirts and
jackets. Sold both under
clients own labels or under The
“Lana Collection” label, it has
achieved spectacular success.
Ariella Tailored suit exclusively
for the Ariella Couture catwalk
collection (above).
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KNITWEAR
DIVISION
In 2011 we launched the Ariella Knitwear Division under the Label “Lana
Marie” to coordinate knitwear pieces with our dresses and separates.
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
A R I E L L A L O N D O N I S O U R R E TA I L L A B E L
Ariella London is our retail label available in John Lewis online, Debenhams Oxford Street store and online, House of
Fraser Oxford Street store and online, Westfield Shepherds Bush and selected stores and online, Ariella Flagship stores
Brent Cross and Bluewater London, and at www.ariella.com online.
R E TA I L
DIVISION
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
A r i e l l a ’s s t a n d a l o n e s t o r e a t
Brent Cross Shopping Centre, London.
R E TA I L
DIVISION
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
A r i e l l a ’s s t a n d a l o n e s t o r e a t
Brent Cross Shopping Centre, London.
R E TA I L
DIVISION
A r i e l l a ’s r e t a i l f o r m a t w h i c h i s a c o p y r i g h t e d d e s i g n i n a m o d u l a r f o r m t o f i t a n y r e t a i l s p a c e , w h e t h e r a n i n - s t o r e
fitted concession or a standalone store.
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
ARIELLA COUTURE IS OUR DESIGNER LABEL
The Ariella Couture collection is as exquisite as it is
wearable, combining stunning couture detailing with a
range of fabrics from traditional silk chiffons, lacquered
lace and knitted chainmail accentuated with ruching,
draping and peplums.
The range of silhouettes vary from hourglass to empire line,
knee skimming hems to dramatic fishtails, punctuated with
a palette that moves from Jet to Ivory, through bright and
bold hues to sugary shades.
“Ariella has always been inspired by
old Hollywood glamour and the traditional
couturier techniques of corsetry and cut have
long been a key part of our work. We have
teamed these techniques with new and
innovative fabrics to create a collection that
echoes the luxury of a bygone era for the
ARIELLA
COUTURE
modern glamorous woman”
— Lana Constantine - Creative Director
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Av a i l a b l e f r o m w w w. a r i e l l a . c o m
Worn by stylish women globally, as seen on Press pages
below. The Ariella Couture DNA is influenced by effortless
glamour and timeless elegance.
ARIELLA
COUTURE
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The Ariella Couture brand always offers ultimate
occasion wear; from wedding day to red-carpet
premier.
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Ariella has been selected by numerous celebrities
for their red carpet events, including the
following:
Amanda Holden. Darcey Bussel. Michelle
Rodriguez. Tulisa Contostavlos. Michelle Keegan.
Holly Willoughby. Leona Lewis. Kelly Rowland.
Miss England. Alex Jones. Myleene Klass. Denise
van Outen. Beverley Knight. Susanna Reid. Ahsley
Roberts. Melanie Sykes. Kimberley Walsh, Nicola
Roberts, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and many more.
PRESS
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
PRESS
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
PRESS
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Ariella dresses all the bridesmaids at Kimberley
W a l s h ’s w e d d i n g F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 6
Susanna Reid
Spectre Premier 2015
Melanie Sykes in
Ariella Couture 2016
PRESS
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Ariella will never supply the same style to two of its
major clients in the same country and this way its client
has exclusivity on that style in that fabric, and is able
to enjoy maximum mark-up and a unique product, not
available to its competitors. This has been a winning
formula for Ariella across the UK and Europe, made
possible by the strength of its Design resources, including
its archive library collection of over 4000 best selling
styles from the last 40 years.
MARKETING
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Ariella‘s greatest strength is its ability to supply
the fashion market place with the richest variety of
exclusive, wearable, and original glamorous designs at
the right price.
All our designs are original, exclusive and protected by
copyright and design right.
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
MARKETING
Apart from the profuse celebrity endorsements Ariella
has been favoured with, it has also been pro-active in
promoting the image of the ARIELLA brand. Throughout
2015 it procured through the services of its renowned
agents Media Com the exclusive sponsorship, held by
LVMH and Moet Chandon for the previous 10 years, of
all the Hollywood Academy Awards Season on SKY and
E! TV Channels. Ariella was featured in over 3000 TV
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commercials sponsoring: The Oscars,The Grammys, The
Golden Globe Awards, The Emmy’s, The People’s Choice
Awards, Screen Actors Guild, The Billboard Awards, and
The American Music awards along with all “Live from the
Red Carpet” and “ Fashion Police” shows. Establishing
ARIELLA as “The Home of Red Carpet Fashion”
C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
Leona Lewis at The Ariella Couture
Fashion Show 2012
Ariella Fashion Show 2012
Ariella has an excellent relationship with its Bankers
RBS Natwest due to its impeccable business ethics
underpinned by it’s 40+ years of continuous trading. It is
therefore willing and able to finance production of any
quantity of orders. It also factors all its invoices, giving
it smooth cash flow, whilst at the same time offering
its clients the credit terms they require, whether it be
maximum discount for quick payment, or 30, 60
or 90 days‘ credit.
In conclusion, whether you are a private client, an
Independent store seeking catwalk designs, a Multiple
group, a Casino or an online e-tailing company, Ariella
can satisfy your requirements for cocktail, evening,
and special occasion wear in today’s up-to-the-minute
fashion trends.
FINANCE
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C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E
ARIELLA FASHIONS GROUP
For further information on Ariella, please contact:
Ariella House, 94-96 Great North Road
London, N2 0NL, United Kingdom
T 0044 (0)20 8883 7288
F 0044 (0)20 8883 2384
E [email protected]
W www.ariella.com
C O N TA C T
Updated April 2016
R e g i s t e r e d i n L o n d o n : Tu s c a n S t u d i o s , 1 4 M u s w e l l H i l l R o a d , H i g h g a t e , L o n d o n , N 6 5 U G , U n i t e d K i n g d o m
R e g i s t r a t i o n N o : 1 4 2 9 7 8 2 VAT R e g N o : G B 8 4 9 0 5 5 9 9 2
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