River Island takes control of Mint Velvet in excess of £100m

The family behind the River Island clothing chain has taken control of Mint Velvet, the fashion label founded by three former Principles executives, in a deal understood to value the company in excess of £100m.

The co-founders Peter Davies, Liz Houghton and Lisa Agar-Rea will share a multimillion-pound payout from the deal with the Lewis Trust Group (LTG).

LTG, which also owns stakes in the Everyman cinema chain and the San Francisco-based fast fashion label Dolls Kill, first bought a stake in Mint Velvet in 2015. It is understood to have exercised an option to take control of the company last week.

Mint Velvet, which specialises in “relaxed glamour” for the over 30s, was started from Houghton’s kitchen table in 2009 and launched with concessions in House of Fraser.