PrettyLittleThing co-founder Umar Kamani has begun building a Dubai-based activewear brand, recruiting a founding team for a new fashion and wellness venture.
Kamani announced his return to brand-building in an Instagram post on 18 August, writing: “What a summer! Grateful for this beautiful journey everyday. Now ready to get back to what I love most, building a new brand.”
He followed the announcement with a recruitment message on LinkedIn, telling prospective employees: “Be part of the beginning. Come build with me.”
The full-time roles are based in Dubai and span areas including fashion design and buying, digital marketing, social media, content, styling and business operations.
The company’s name, launch date, price positioning and full product range have not been disclosed, although the planned business is expected to focus on activewear and sit at the “intersection of fashion and wellness”.
Kamani co-founded PrettyLittleThing at the age of 24. Boohoo acquired the remaining 34% of the business in 2020 in a deal worth up to £323.8 million, giving the group full ownership.
He returned as PrettyLittleThing CEO in 2024 after stepping down the previous year, with the aim of reconnecting the brand with its customers. PrettyLittleThing returned to profit in the year ended 28 February 2026, despite a 35.8% decline in GMV across Debenhams Group’s youth brands.
Kamani also co-founded interior design business Kamani Rossar in 2024 with Adam Kamani and Rob Rosser, which operates studios in London and Dubai.
His latest venture will enter an activewear market increasingly characterised by brands expanding beyond ecommerce and building physical retail networks.
Alo Yoga operates more than 150 stores worldwide, while Gymshark has expanded from ecommerce into physical retail across the UK and US.
Other brands are widening their routes to market. Myprotein brought its womenswear to seven Footasylum stores in April, with annualised run-rate sales for MP Activewear approaching £100 million. UK-based Oner Active has meanwhile secured a 10-year lease for its first permanent store in New York.
Kamani’s decision to recruit across creative, commercial and operational functions suggests he is building a fully fledged brand rather than simply testing a new product line. However, without details of its assortment, pricing or route to market, its point of differentiation in an increasingly crowded activewear category remains unclear.