Peek & Cloppenburg
Peek & Cloppenburg KG, Düsseldorf (family-owned) · Germany
Peek & Cloppenburg is a German fashion retail chain operating large multi-brand stores that combine designer labels with its own private brands. The name is used by two independent family companies, Peek & Cloppenburg KG Düsseldorf and Peek & Cloppenburg KG Hamburg, of which the Düsseldorf company is the larger and trades across much of Europe.
| Founded | 1900/1901, Düsseldorf (roots in Rotterdam, 1869) |
|---|---|
| Founders | Johann Theodor Peek, Heinrich Anton Adolph Cloppenburg |
| Ownership | Cloppenburg family; two independent companies (Düsseldorf and Hamburg) |
| Headquarters | Düsseldorf, Germany |
| Restructuring | Self-administration proceedings, 2023 (Düsseldorf company) |
| Website | peek-cloppenburg.de |
What is Peek & Cloppenburg?
Peek & Cloppenburg (P&C) is one of Germany's best-known fashion retailers. Its stores sell womenswear, menswear and childrenswear from international brands alongside own labels. Two legally separate partnerships use the name: Peek & Cloppenburg KG Düsseldorf and Peek & Cloppenburg KG Hamburg, which split in 1911. They are not part of a single group.
History
Johann Theodor Peek and Heinrich Anton Adolph Cloppenburg started a clothing business in Rotterdam in 1869. The German company was founded in Düsseldorf at the start of the twentieth century; sources give 1900 or 1901. A Berlin store followed in 1901, and the company is credited with introducing a uniform size system for menswear. In 1911 Anton Cloppenburg founded the Hamburg partnership, dividing the family's operations.
In March 2023 the Düsseldorf company entered protective shield proceedings, and on 1 June 2023 a court opened self-administration proceedings to restructure the business, according to FashionUnited. Around 350 administrative jobs were cut as part of the process.
Business model and distribution
P&C Düsseldorf runs stores in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, while its Vienna subsidiary operates stores in Austria and across Central and Eastern Europe. The business combines:
- Large city-centre fashion houses with brand areas
- Own labels, including McNeal for menswear and Review for young fashion
- Designer and premium brands bought on a wholesale basis
- An online shop
Why it matters
As a major buyer of brands for German-speaking and European markets, Peek & Cloppenburg is an important wholesale partner for many fashion labels. Its restructuring in 2023 reflected the pressure on large multi-brand stationary retailers, and its development is closely watched as an indicator for traditional fashion retail in Europe. The Cloppenburg family links to the McNeal and Review labels also show how the retailer uses own brands, which are sold in competitors' stores as well, to improve margins alongside bought-in labels.
Frequently asked questions
Are Peek & Cloppenburg Düsseldorf and Hamburg the same company?
No. They are two independent family-owned companies that have used the same name since the business was divided in 1911. The Düsseldorf company is the larger one and also operates in other European countries.
Is Peek & Cloppenburg insolvent?
Peek & Cloppenburg KG Düsseldorf went through protective shield and self-administration proceedings in 2023 to restructure the business while continuing to trade. The Hamburg company was a separate legal entity.