French Connection

Founded in 1972 by Stephen Marks, French Connection set out to create well-designed fashionable clothing that appealed to a broad market.

The abbreviation FCUK was born after Trevor Beattie visited the French Connection offices and noticed the abbreviation FCHK on an internal memo, standing for French Connection Hong Kong. From this, Beattie suggested the brand use FCUK, standing for French Connection United Kingdom.

In the spring of ’97 a controversial ad campaign featuring the simple line ‘fcuk fashion’ hit the headlines becoming a universally recognised great fashion moment. Having established a strong core clothing business through unique design and a true sense of style, the company expanded its portfolio into new and exciting areas including men’s and women’s toiletries, sunglasses and opticals, watches, footwear and a growing range of furniture and home accessories.