Celtic & Co

Exited in 2014

Celtic & Co is a direct to consumer clothing company that provides uniquely designed, natural and handcrafted clothes for women.

The business was founded over 20 years ago in Newquay, Cornwall, when husband and wife owners Nick and Kath Whitworth began selling sheepskin boots that were the original British Uggs. Eventually the couple sold the UK trademark to Uggs’s American owners and re-branded the company as Celtic Sheepskin designing and manufacturing its own unique sheepskin boots.

Over the years, Celtic has developed a range of outerwear and clothing made from natural fibres to complement its sheepskin boots becoming a brand of choice for its largely female customer base who regard the brand as providing them with individual clothing and footwear pieces based on craft values that quickly become their wardrobe favourites.

Having successfully developed a small range of clothing to complement their range of sheepskin boots, the Whitworths felt it would be beneficial to bring a partner into the business to help with the next stage of growth.

Taking a significant minority stake in 2010, Piper has been able to help develop the Celtic brand by adding a senior management team alongside the founders to enable growth, expanding the clothing offer, rebranding from Celtic Sheepskin to the more appropriate name of Celtic & Co, and beginning to expand internationally.