PrettyLittleThing founder Umar Kamani has announced he will be stepping down as CEO after 12 years of running the fashion empire.
The businessman, 35, who is from Manchester, first set up the fashion company in 2012 alongside brother Adam and has overseen the brands' growth over the years, creating a global empire now estimated to be worth billions.
Kamani shared a lengthy statement to his Twitter profile on Sunday, announcing the 'difficult decision' to step down as CEO and his hopes to 'build new brands' in the future.
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PrettyLittleThing has become known for huge celebrity collaboration deals including with the likes of Kylie Jenner, Little Mix and Love Island's Molly-Mae Hague, who is the creative director.
The Mail reported that Umar had previously sold his remaining 34 per cent stake in PrettyLittleThing to Boohoo, another huge fashion brand which was co-founded by his father Mahmud Kamani back in 2006.
In a lengthy Twitter statement, Umar penned: "After 12 years as CEO and Founder of PrettyLittleThing I have made the difficult decision to step down from my position as CEO. 12 amazing years that changed my life and I will be forever grateful for all those memories.
"I’m at the stage in my life where I need to set myself new challenges and goals and build new brands that hopefully you all love and support as much as you did with this one.
"When I first had the idea of setting up this brand, I could never have imagined what we would go on to achieve. Since our humble beginnings in 2012, PLT has gone on to eventually become one of the biggest fashion brands in the world.
"If you know me, you’ll know Disneyland and all the magic surrounding it has always been one of my biggest inspirations. This is what I wanted to create with PrettyLittleThing, a fairytale-like world where unicorns exist, and anything is possible. A place you come to find confidence and inspiration when it comes to what you wear and how you feel.
"Whatever success we have achieved is down to you, our loyal customers who have shopped with us, supported us and watched us grow into something beyond what I could have ever dreamed of.
"From day one we’ve been a brand with family values at the core of our identity and what we built has always had a family feel; the PLT Family. To my team, you have been the most resilient and hard-working individuals and I truly couldn’t have done this without each and every one of you. This was never just my brand; it was yours too.
"Lastly, to all the incredible talent we have worked with, past, present and future, thank you for everything. I will be forever grateful for the experience, the milestones we hit together and the lifelong memories we made.
"I was 24 when I started this brand and today at 35 years old I’m so proud, grateful and excited to go on my next journey. I will of course continue supporting PrettyLittleThing on some projects over the next few months while we find our new CEO.
"Here's to the future, creating more magic and fairytales. To each and every person who has played any part in the PLT movie, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Umar x"
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