Tom Chapman (businessman)

Tom Chapman
OBE
Born
Thomas Watson Chapman

June 1963 (age 63)
Wimbledon, London
OccupationsBusinessperson, entrepreneur, investor
Known forCo-founder of MATCHESFASHION.COM
SpouseRuth Chapman

Thomas Watson Chapman OBE (born June 1963[1]) is a British entrepreneur and investor.[2]

He is the co-founder of luxury fashion retailer MATCHESFASHION, which developed from a single London store into an international online retailer[3] before being acquired by private equity firm Apax Partners in 2017.[4]

Early life and education

Chapman was born in Wimbledon, London. He studied hotel and hospitality management before entering the retail sector.[5]

Career

Matchesfashion.com

In 1987, Chapman co-founded MATCHESFASHION in Wimbledon,[6] London, initially operating as a single independent fashion store. Over the following decades, the business expanded its physical retail presence and later developed an online platform as luxury fashion e-commerce became more established.[7]

During the 2000s and 2010s, MATCHESFASHION evolved into a multi-channel retailer combining physical stores with international online sales.[8] The company became known for its focus on designer fashion and editorial-led retail content.[9]

In 2017, MATCHESFASHION was acquired by Apax Partners .[10][11] Following the acquisition, Chapman stepped down from his executive role and later became a joint chairman of the business. He retained a minority shareholding after the transaction.

Investment portfolio and later ventures

Since 2017, Chapman has focused on early-stage investing through his family office, the Chapman Office. His investment activity has included businesses across consumer, technology, healthcare, and digital services sectors in the United Kingdom and the United States.

In 2022, Chapman co-founded ABASK, a London-based luxury e-commerce platform specialising in curated homeware, design objects, and lifestyle goods.

Awards and honours

In 2017, Chapman received the Drapers[12] Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2018, he was inducted into the Business of Fashion Hall of Fame.[13]

In the 2020 New Year Honours, Tom Chapman and Ruth Chapman were both appointed Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the international fashion retail industry.[14]

Personal life

Chapman is married to Ruth Chapman, with whom he has three children.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Tom Chapman – Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  2. ↑ Evans, Peter (22 September 2019). "Q&A with angel investor Tom Chapman". The Sunday Times. ISSN 0956-1382. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  3. ↑ "Tom & Ruth Chapman | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry". The Business of Fashion. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  4. ↑ Paton, Elizabeth (1 September 2017). "Matchesfashion.com Sells Majority Stake to Apax After Fierce Bidding War". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Harper's Bazaar: Perfect Match". Retrieved 14 February 2019 – via PressReader.
  6. ↑ "Tom & Ruth Chapman | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry". The Business of Fashion. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Tom & Ruth Chapman Are Among the 500 People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry". The Business of Fashion. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  8. ↑ "Drapers Top 100 2017 – 24. Tom and Ruth Chapman, founders, Matchesfashion". Drapers. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  9. ↑ Armstrong, Lisa (12 December 2015). "Ruth and Tom Chapman on turning Matches into a multimillion-pound empire from one tiny shop". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  10. ↑ Stocker, 1 July 2011By Keely (July 2011). "Tom Chapman". Drapers. Retrieved 14 February 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Smith, Edwin (12 July 2015). "MatchesFashion duo step back after successful shift to online sales". ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  12. ↑ McGregor, Kirsty. "From Wimbledon to the world: Matchesfashion's founders' lifetime achievement". www.drapersonline.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Tom & Ruth Chapman | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry". The Business of Fashion. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "The London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Meet Ruth Chapman Woman Behind Online Designer Clothing Empire".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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