Joseph
Onward Kashiyama · United Kingdom
Joseph is a London fashion brand that grew from a shop attached to a Chelsea hair salon, founded by Joseph Ettedgui. It has been owned by the Japanese group Onward Kashiyama since 2005, which was reported in August 2026 to be considering a sale. It is not owned by Fast Retailing.
| Founder | Joseph Ettedgui |
|---|---|
| Owner | Onward Kashiyama (since 2005) |
| Creative director | Mario Arena (since 2024) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Segment | Premium and contemporary |
| Sale status | Owner reported to be exploring a sale (August 2026) |
| Website | joseph-fashion.com |
What is Joseph?
Joseph is a British fashion brand based on a London retail heritage. It grew from a shop attached to a Chelsea hair salon run by Joseph Ettedgui, a Casablanca-born entrepreneur, with his brothers Maurice and Franklin. Its collections include women's clothing, knitwear under the Joseph Tricot name, perfume and homewares sold as Joseph Pour La Maison.
History
Wikipedia gives conflicting founding dates, 1966 in its infobox and 1972 in the article text, so no year is stated here. The retailer was among the first in the UK to combine a restaurant and a shop in one space, and its Sloane Street flagship, opened in 1979, was designed by Norman Foster. It championed designers including John Galliano, Katharine Hamnett and Azzedine Alaia. Albert Frere took a majority share in 1999 and held 72 per cent in 2000.
Ownership
The Japanese fashion group Onward Kashiyama, a long-time Asian licence partner, bought Joseph in May 2005. FashionUnited reported in August 2026, citing Sky News, that Onward Kashiyama was considering a sale and had hired PwC to gauge buyer interest. The same report puts the 2005 price at £140 million and says there has been no confirmed deal. The list hint that Joseph belongs to Fast Retailing is not supported by the sources consulted.
Leadership and business model
Mario Arena is creative director, having joined in 2024 according to FashionUnited, with a plan to turn Joseph into an all-encompassing lifestyle brand covering eyewear, footwear, handbags and menswear. Wikipedia reports a return to London Fashion Week in 2026 with a show at Tate Modern. It lists stores in cities including London, New York, Paris, Moscow, Los Angeles and Beirut, with 63 boutiques worldwide by 2004 and 34 by 2010, and a menswear store on Savile Row from 2016.
Why it matters
Joseph is a long-running London label whose improved financial performance under a new creative direction has reportedly attracted buyer interest.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Joseph?
Joseph is owned by the Japanese group Onward Kashiyama, which bought it in 2005. In August 2026 FashionUnited reported, citing Sky News, that the owner was considering a sale.
Who is the creative director of Joseph?
Mario Arena has been creative director of Joseph since 2024, according to FashionUnited, and Wikipedia also lists him as current.