JD Sports Fashion plc, more commonly known as just JD, is a sports-fashion

Fashion

Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...

 retail company based in Bury

Bury

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...

, Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...

, England with shops throughout the United Kingdom and with one in Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange

London Stock Exchange

The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...

 and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index

FTSE 250 Index

The FTSE 250 Index is a capitalisation-weighted index consisting of the 101st to the 350th largest companies on the London Stock Exchange. Promotions to and demotions from the index take place quarterly in March, June, September and December...

.

History

The company was founded by John Wardle and David Makin in 1981 trading from a single shop in Bury

Bury

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...

.

In 1983 the Company opened a store in the Arndale Centre in Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

. It opened its first store in Oxford Street

Oxford Street

Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...

 in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 in 1989 and was first listed on the London Stock Exchange

London Stock Exchange

The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...

 in 1996.

In 2002 it acquired nearly 200 further stores with the acquisition of First Sport from Blacks Leisure Group

Blacks Leisure Group

Blacks Leisure Group plc of Northampton, UK owns British outdoor retailers Blacks, Millets and Free Spirit. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index.-Structure:It is based at , Northampton...

 and in 2005 it bought 70 stores from the Administrators of Allsports.

In May 2005, Pentland Group

Pentland Group

Pentland Group plc is a privately held, global brand management company based in the UK, involved in the sports, outdoor and fashion markets. It is owned by Stephen Rubin and family...

 bought Wardle's and Makin's shares for £44.6m; the pair later resigned from the board.

In December 2007 the company bought out Bank Stores, which sells fashion clothing such as Firetrap, Henleys and Adidas Originals among others, for around £19 million.

In June and July 2008 JD Sports announced sponsorship deals with AFC Bournemouth

A.F.C. Bournemouth

A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....

, Charlton Athletic

Charlton Athletic F.C.

Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...

, Dundee United

Dundee United F.C.

Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...

, Blackpool F.C, Luton Town

Luton Town F.C.

Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...

 and Oldham Athletic

Oldham Athletic A.F.C.

Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...

; these sponsorship deals allow certain clubs to use the Carbrini brand.

2009 saw further expansion of the JD Group through the acquisition of Chausport which operates from 75 small stores in France. In addition, JD acquired the world famous rugby heritage brands 'Canterbury' and 'Canterbury of New Zealand' as well as 'The Duffer of St. George' and 'Kooga Rugby' brands.

In January 2011 it was announced that JD Sports Fashion would buy the financially-troubled Irish sports goods chain Champion Sports for €19.6 million, pending approval by the Irish Competition Authority

Competition Authority (Ireland)

The Competition Authority is the statutory body responsible for regulating competition in the Republic of Ireland. The authority was established under the Section 10 of the to assume the functions of the defunct Fair Trade Commission. The changed the authority from an office of the Department of...

.

Brands

The following brands are stocked by JD Sports Fashion Plc:

• Adidas
  Adidas
  Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
  
  
• Adidas Originals
  Adidas Originals
  Adidas Originals is a line of casual sports apparel, and is the heritage line of Adidas The brand uses the famous Trefoil logo, which was originally used on all adidas products until the company decided in 1997 that the trefoil logo would thereafter only be used on heritage products, and was...
  
  
• Apple Bottoms
  Apple Bottoms
  Apple Bottoms is a fashion and lifestyle brand for women launched in 2003 by rap artist Nelly, Yomi Martin and Ian Kelly. The brand was initially a denim label, but has since expanded to include other women's and girl's clothing, perfume and accessories....
  
  
• Asics
  ASICS
  ASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company. ASICS produces professional footwear and sports equipment designed for football, running, netball, tennis, badminton, squash, martial arts, cricket, golf, wrestling, track & field, cross-training, volleyball, cheerleading, lacrosse, and for many other...
  
  
• Ben Sherman
  Ben Sherman
  Ben Sherman is a British based clothing company, designing shirts, suits, shoes, accessories and other items that are, in common with many British brands, now made overseas, largely in the Far East. Their designs sometimes feature the Royal Air Force roundel which is often called the mod target...
  
  
• Bench
• Calvin Klein
  Calvin Klein
  Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
  
  
• Canterbury of New Zealand
  Canterbury of New Zealand
  Canterbury of New Zealand is a New Zealand-based sports apparel company that focuses on rugby football. The company is named after the Canterbury area in New Zealand where the company started to make knitwear. Other than producing rugby kits, the brand is also known for their rugby protective wear...
  
  
• Carbrini
  Carbrini
  Carbrini Sportswear is a leisure wear brand of clothing owned by and sold exclusively at JD Sports. They have developed a full range of leisure wear, ranging from trainers to tracksuits...
  
  
• Crocs
  Crocs
  Crocs, Inc. is a shoe manufacturer founded by 3 friends - Scott Seamans, Lyndon "Duke" Hanson, and George Boedecker, Jr. - to produce and distribute a foam clog design acquired from a Quebec company called Foam Creations. The shoe had originally been developed as a spa shoe. The first model...
  
  
• Converse
• Cotton Traders
  Cotton Traders
  Cotton Traders is a British clothing company, specialising in rugby apparel and leisurewear, based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It was founded in 1987 by former England national rugby union team captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith....
  
  
• Diadora
  Diadora
  Diadora is an Italian football, tennis, running, cycling, rugby, athletic shoe, clothing, and fashion accessory manufacturer with locations in Italy, the United States, and Hong Kong.-History:...
  
  
• Eastpak
  Eastpak
  Eastpak is an American manufacturer of packs, bags, luggage and clothing. It is part of the VF Corporation, brand portfolio which is one of the world's largest apparel companies.-Founding:...
  
  
• Eckō
  Ecko
  Eckō unltd. is a brand of urban lifestyle clothing founded by fashion designer Marc Ecko, that has been popular since the late 1990s, and moved into the mainstream urban culture in the early 2000s. It is most often associated with hip-hop people. The style is based on graffiti art.The creation of...
  
  

• Evisu
  Evisu
  Evisu or Evisu Genes is a Japanese designer clothing company that specializes in producing premium denim wear through traditional, labor-intensive methods....
  
  
• Fila
  Fila (company)
  Fila is one of the world's largest sportswear manufacturing companies. Founded in 1911 in Italy, Fila has been owned and operated from South Korea since a takeover in 2007. Headed by chairman and CEO Yoon-Soo Yoon, Fila now has offices in 11 countries worldwide....
  
  
• Fred Perry
  Fred Perry
  Frederick John Perry was a championship-winning English tennis and table tennis player who won 10 Majors including eight Grand Slams and two Pro Slams. Perry won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships between 1934 and 1936 and was World No. 1 four years in a row...
  
  
• Helly Hansen
  Helly Hansen
  Helly Hansen is a high-end producer of textiles and special gear for sports and work on the ocean and in the mountains, headquartered in Oslo, Norway .Today, the brand is recognized for its foul-weather fishing gear and can be seen both on television and...
  
  
• Heelys, Inc
• Hummel
  Hummel International
  hummel International is a Denmark-based sportswear company. The firm was started in 1923 by the Messmer family in the town of Hamburg, Germany. It currently manufactures apparel for football, handball, basketball, rugby league, Australian football, shinty and volleyball...
  
  
• Hurley International
  Hurley International
  Hurley International is a clothing company located in Costa Mesa, California founded by Bob Hurley. The company puts emphasis on skateboarding, surfing, music, and "fun"...
  
  
• Joma
  Joma
  Joma is a Spanish sports apparel manufacturer, which currently produces footwear and apparel for football, running and tennis. Its headquarters are located in the city of Toledo, Spain....
  
  
• K-Swiss
  K-Swiss
  K-Swiss, Inc. is an American footwear company based in Westlake Village, California. The company designs, develops, and markets a range of athletic shoes under the K-Swiss brand.- History :...
  
  
• Lacoste
• Le Coq Sportif
  Le Coq Sportif
  Le Coq Sportif is a French company producing sports equipment such as shoes, shorts, and T-shirts. It was founded in 1882 by Émile Camuset, but the first clothing items branded with the rooster appeared in 1948...
  
  
• Levi's
• Location

• Majestic Athletic
• New Balance
  New Balance
  New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. , best known as simply New Balance, is a footwear manufacturer based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America. It was founded in 1906 as the New Balance Arch Support Company...
  
  
• Nike
  Nike, Inc.
  Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
  
  
• Mckenzie
• Nicholas Deakins
• NY Yankees
• New Era
  New Era Cap Company
  The New Era Cap Company , located in Buffalo, New York, is a headwear manufacturer. It was founded in 1920 by German immigrant Ehrhardt Koch...
  
  
• Only Play
• Penguin
  Original Penguin
  Original Penguin is an American clothing line. With roots in the 1950s and 60s, the brand specializes in clothing, footwear, and eyewear...
  
  
• Playboy
  Playboy
  Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
  
  
• Puma
  PUMA AG
  Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
  
  
• Quiksilver
  Quiksilver
  Quiksilver, Inc. , is an American company based in Huntington Beach, California, one of the world's largest manufacturers of surfwear and other boardsport-related equipment...
  
  
• Reebok
  Reebok
  Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
  
  
• Reef
  Reef sandals
  Reef sandals are a brand of casual sandals, known as flip-flops. Two Argentine brothers, Fernando and Santiago Aguerre, created their brand in the 1980s to support their active lifestyles. Their involvement in the surfing scene led them to open their own surf shop in Argentina in the 1970s. ...
  
  
• Rip Curl
  Rip Curl
  Rip Curl is a major Australian manufacturer and retailer of surfing sportswear The company was founded in 1969 by Doug Warbrick and Brian Singer in Torquay, Victoria, Australia and initially produced surfboards. In 1970, they decided to begin production of wetsuits, with emphasis on transforming...
  
  

• Rocawear
  Rocawear
  Created in 1999 by Roc-A-Fella Records co-founders Damon Dash and Jay Z,Rocawear has annual sales of $700 million. Rocawear expanded its brand through licensing pacts to develop lines for children and juniors; socks and sandals; leather, suede, and fur outerwear; handbags and belts; lounge wear;...
  
  
• Roxy
• Schott
  Schott NYC
  Schott NYC is an American clothing manufacturing company located in New York City. The company was founded in 1913 by brothers Irving and Jack Schott. Schott NYC was the first company to put a zipper on a jacket and they created the classic Perfecto motorcycle jacket, made popular in movies like...
  
  
• Samsonite
  Samsonite
  The Samsonite Corporation makes luggage with its products ranging from large suitcases to small toiletries bags and briefcases. It was started in Denver, Colorado, USA in 1910 byJesse Shwayder, as the Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company. Shwayder named one of his initial cases "Samson", after the...
  
  
• Sergio Tacchini
  Sergio Tacchini
  Sergio Tacchini is an Italian fashion designer of sportswear and former professional tennis player. The sportswear firm bearing his name is located in Bellinzago Novarese, Novara, Italy.- Tennis career :...
  
  
• Speedo
  Speedo
  Speedo International Ltd. is a manufacturer and distributor of swimwear and swim-related accessories. Founded in Australia in 1914, the industry leading company is now a subsidiary of Pentland Group Plc. Today, the Speedo brand can be found on products ranging from swimsuits and goggles to wrist...
  
  
• Star In The Hood
  Star in the Hood (company)
  Star In The Hood Unltd. is a international mid-range to luxury clothing company founded by Kwasi Danquah III, better known as Tinchy Stryder in September 2006...
  
  
• Timberland
• Two-Angle
• Umbro
  Umbro
  Umbro is an English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. The company is now part of Nike. Umbro designs, sources, and markets sport-related apparel, footwear, and equipment...
  
  
• Vans
  Vans
  Vans is an American based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes, BMX shoes, snowboarding boots and other shoe types.- History :On March 16, 1966, at 704 E. Broadway, in Anaheim, California, brothers Paul Van Doren, James Van Doren, and three other partners opened up their first store...
  
  
• Voi
  Voi
  Voi is a market town in southern Kenya, lying on the edge of the Tsavo National Park. It lies at the junction of the railway lines from Nairobi to Mombasa and Taveta. Also the Voi Sisal Estates are located near the town. Voi is also located near some Taita villages like, Ikanga and...
  
  

Amongst many others in smaller quantities

JD also stocks ten exclusive brands:

• McKenzie
  McKenzie (clothing)
  McKenzie, is an own label clothing brand available exclusively at sports and fashion retailer JD Sports. A wide range of clothing is available under the McKenzie range, including hoodies, tracksuits, coats, t shirts, bags and footwear. The trademark is used under licence from The McKenzie...
  
   — Men's, Women's and Junior clothing and footwear
• Carbrini Sportswear — Junior fashion clothing and soccer apparel
• Animal
  Animal (clothing)
  Animal is a clothing retailer and brand based in Poole, England. The company was created in 1987, manufacturing and selling unbreakable webbing and Velcro watchstraps....
  
    — Men and Women's Surf clothing and footwear
• Brookhaven — Men's and Women's clothing
• Boxfresh
  Boxfresh
  Boxfresh is a British fashion label founded in 1989 by Roger Wade. The name originates from early hip hop slang for a pair of trainers being "fresh out of the box".- History :...
  
   — Men's Clothing
• Rivington — Men's Clothing
• O'Neill
  O'Neill (brand)
  O'Neill is an American surfboard, surfwear and equipment brand that was started in San Francisco, California, but soon moved down the coast to Santa Cruz. Some credit the company with having invented the modern wetsuit...
  
  — Men and Women's Surf clothing and footwear
• Pure and Simple Basics - Women's clothing
• Frisk - New Women's clothing components