Dragons' Den-backed fashion business closes a year after £100K investment from Steven Bartlett as owner blames break-in
A DRAGONS' Den-backed fashion business has closed a year after being given a £100,000 investment from Steven Bartlet.
Entrepreneurial brothers Ben and Joe Gallagher founded Luxe Collective in 2018 from their bedroom with nothing to their name.
Advertisement
7
Co-founder Ben Gallagher announced Luxe Collective has been shut down
7
The warehouse was broken into in July last year
7
Thugs made off with over £500,000 worth of goods
But over seven years they managed to generate over £30million in revenue and become globally recognised with deals in Tokyo, New York, and Milan.
Business titan Sara Davies even told Ben and Joe they were too successful to invest in when they appeared on Dragons' Den last year.
On the show, Ben revealed he was inspired by his sister's desire for an expensive pair of £400 designer trainers for Christmas.
His mum managed to source a pair from an online market place for just £100.
Advertisement
From then on he poured everything into snapping up second-hand items and selling them on.
Steven Bartlett believed in the Merseyside brothers and offered to invest an eye-watering £100,000 into the second hand designer outlet for just three per cent.
But disaster struck in July 2024 when robbers raided their Lancashire warehouse and made of with over £500,000 worth of goods.
Lancashire Police were unable to track down the thugs and ultimately closed the case.
Advertisement
After the burglary, Ben told his followers insurance cover had paid out the money lost - but stock was still an issue.
And, despite the cash influx from Bartlett, the brazen theft crippled the company, according to Ben.
The devastated founder, 25, announced the brand would be shutting down in an emotional statement on TikTok.
He revealed all of their employees were now without jobs.
Advertisement
Ben told his three million followers: "Luxe Collective is closing down. I never thought I'd have to say this but the company I created seven years ago at just 18 years old will no longer exist.
"After a year-long fight after we were broken into last year, in which both me and my brother were doing all we could just to get us through to the next day, we are no longer able to continue."
7
The founders appeared on Dragons' Den in January last year
7
Ben told how they started the company from their bedroom
Credit: TikTok
Advertisement
7
Steven Bartlett invested an eye-watering £100,000 into the second hand designer outlet for just three per cent
Credit: Instagram / Luxe Collective
The young entrepreneur said the ordeal had left him "mentally and physically drained", and throwing in the towel actually came as a "relief".
He also took accountability of the closure and admitted the robbery took a toll on his "leadership" as well "strategic decision making".
But again Ben slammed the robbers and said: "They've ruined the livelihoods of not just me and my brother, but all the amazing staff that we have had to make redundant and who've lost their jobs in the process.
Advertisement
"Although we have failed in succeeding with the brand, there are still things that no one will be able to take away from me."
After hailing Luxe Collective, the proud creator added: "But most importantly, I built a relationship with my brother that would never have existed without going on this journey with him. Now, we're both back to square one.
"Not left with much except the seven years of priceless experience and a fresh head to start something new with.
"To any customers this may affect, please reach out through the appropriate channels, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Advertisement
"To everyone who is reaching out publicly and privately, you don't understand how much it means during a time like this - thank you."
A Lancashire Police spokesman confirmed: "This crime has been investigated as far as reasonably possible, and the case has been closed pending further investigative opportunities becoming available."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
TikTok star Khaby Lame returns to social media after self-deporting for violating immigration rules
Khaby Lame has reemerged online after being kicked out of United States under President Donald Trump 's newly intensified deportation drive. In his latest Instagram Stories, Lame appeared calm and composed, strolling down a leafy street in Italy. Another frame showed him smiling alongside Brazilian soccer star Emerson Royal, who plays for AC Milan and the Brazilian national team. The images follow days of uproar after Lame, born in Senegal but raised in Chivasso, Italy, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Las Vegas 's Harry Reid International Airport on June 6. ICE claims he overstayed his visa after entering the country on April 30. He was granted 'voluntary departure', a bureaucratic euphemism for being kicked out. 'Seringe Khabane Lame, 25, a citizen of Italy, was detained… for immigration violations,' ICE confirmed in a statement. 'Lame was granted voluntary departure… and has since departed the US.' Since reclaiming the presidency in January, Donald Trump has made good on campaign vows to execute mass deportations and resurrect the muscular ICE machine that defined his first term. His crackdown has swept up thousands, from undocumented workers to high-profile public figures, and even it now appears, the most-watched man on TikTok. The move drew backlash from civil liberties groups and social media users alike, many of whom questioned why a beloved Italian citizen with 162.2 million TikTok followers and brand deals with the likes of Doritos, Boss, and Binance would be treated like a national security threat. The deportation was first revealed by conservative influencer Bo Loudon, who claimed to have reported Lame and posted what he said was a screenshot from ICE's website indicating that the TikToker was being held at Henderson Detention Center in Nevada near Las Vegas. Last month, Twitch streamer Hasan Piker - better known as HasanAbi - claimed he was detained at Chicago's O'Hare Airport and interrogated by ICE agents about his political views on Trump and Hamas. His 40-minute video describing the ordeal has since racked up millions of views. In Lame's case, the optics could not have been worse. Last month he attended the prestigious Met Gala in New York, rubbing shoulders with Rihanna, Diana Ross, and fashion elite. He wore a bespoke gray zoot suit that landed him on multiple best-dressed lists. Born in Senegal and raised in public housing near Turin, Lame became famous during the pandemic after losing his job as a factory worker. Conservative influencer Bo Loudon claimed to have reported Lame's detention on June 6 and posted an alleged screenshot from the ICE website stating he was at Henderson Detention Center in Nevada (Lame's name does no longer appears in the ICE detainee database) He began posting wordless TikTok reactions that mocked the absurdity of overcomplicated 'life hack' videos offering instead a simple solution and a signature shrug. By 2022, he had surpassed Charli D'Amelio as the most-followed person on TikTok. Brands came calling with UNICEF naming him as a goodwill ambassador. He walked the runway at Milan Fashion Week and built his empire on facial expressions rather than flashy speeches. In 2022, Italy formally granted Lame citizenship after a national outcry over the delay. He celebrated the moment as a victory for immigrants like himself who grow up Italian but are often excluded by bureaucracy 'Public housing is a place to which I owe everything,' he once told an interviewer.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
TikTok to create over 500 new jobs in the UK
TikTok plans to create over 500 new jobs in the UK and open a second London office after reaching 30 million users in the country, making the UK its largest European user base. The expansion aims to increase TikTok's UK workforce to 3,000 employees this year, with a new 135,000-square-foot office in London's Barbican set to open in early 2025. Adam Presser, director of TikTok UK, emphasized the company's commitment to the UK market through job creation, innovation investment, and contributions from British businesses on the platform. The announcement follows scrutiny of social media usage among children, with the UK government considering measures to limit screen time, despite the recent passage of the Online Safety Act. TikTok is appealing a 530 million euro fine issued by the Irish data protection watchdog for violating EU privacy rules related to user data transfers to China and a lack of transparency.
Daily Record
10 hours ago
- Daily Record
Armed officer sues Police Scotland over suspension after TikTok Tallia Storm incident
Steven Jones is taking Police Scotland to court after being suspended over an incident involving singer Tallia Storm. A firearms officer is taking legal action against Police Scotland alleging he was unfairly suspended after footage of an "incident" was shared on TikTok. Steven Jones, 35, appeared before an employment tribunal in Edinburgh on Monday, June 9, where he is suing the force for sex discrimination. Mr Jones claims his actions were unfairly labelled 'misogynistic' and that he was penalised due to Police Scotland management's concerns about the armed response unit being seen as having a 'boys' club mentality'. The tribunal heard that the incident occurred on March 1, 2024, when a video posted by Scottish singer Tallia Storm showed Mr Jones and his colleague stepping out of their marked police vehicle on Edinburgh's Cowgate to take a photo with her. In the footage, Mr Jones can be seen taking the picture while his partner poses with Storm, reports EdinburghLive. Mr Jones told the tribunal he was later 'chastised' by senior officers who described his conduct as 'misogynistic' and criticised him for stopping in a busy pedestrian and traffic area. He said the force reacted negatively due to public backlash over the video. He believes he was treated unfairly because of 'past instances of misogyny' involving other officers in the firearms unit, and that his own actions were wrongly framed in that context. He told the tribunal: "Because of the word 'misogyny,' it made me feel it was because I as a male interacting with a female that it was viewed through that lens. If a member of the other sex had that interaction, it wouldn't have happened." His solicitor, Mr Merck, referenced a previous high-profile case involving female firearms officer Rhona Malone, who received nearly £1 million in compensation after an employment tribunal ruled she had been victimised by the force on the basis of her sex. Mr Jones believes that case influenced how his own behaviour was judged. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He said: "It really surprised me. I was extremely upset and shocked because I knew I had to disclose to my partner what I had been accused of and explain to my family." At the time of the incident, Mr Jones and his colleague were on "parliament duty," patrolling areas around the Scottish Parliament including the Cowgate and Grassmarket. While driving through Cowgate, they encountered a large crowd and slowed the vehicle. Mr Jones said he then recognised Tallia Storm in the crowd. "I knew who she was due to the publicity and her being the Capital DJ host at the time. She was on the side of trams and buses," he said. He and his partner left the vehicle — which held secured firearms — for what he estimated to be about a minute, possibly less. Mr Jones claimed the singer was "ecstatic" about the photo opportunity and added: "There was no rude behaviour or catcalling. I present myself courteously and was calm in the situation. We engaged in conversation to ascertain that a Q&A was being held. It looked like she was making her way over. We very quickly introduced ourselves, it was a polite interaction." He said that throughout the encounter, they ensured their police vehicle remained secure. Despite this, Mr Jones was later suspended — a sanction he believes was disproportionate. He told the tribunal: "It is our job to engage with people. We don't police with fear, we police by good interactions with the public. The last thing I'd ever want is the public to fear the police and to fear me. I always speak to people as a human being. I meet them where they are." Mr Jones joined Police Scotland in March 2017 and completed his authorised firearms officer training in June 2023. He told the tribunal he had ambitions of becoming a national firearms instructor and had been encouraged to apply for a role in counterterrorism. But since the incident, he says he has been demoted to a desk-based role, handling "low-level daily calls" — a stark contrast to his previous work dealing with "very high risk incidents" and high-stakes decision making within the firearms unit. The five-day tribunal, overseen by Employment Judge Amanda Jones, continues.
