Secret Sales acquires Vroom & Dreesmann (V&D) and To Be Dressed

British off-price e-fashion marketplace Secret Sales has been on the acquisition trail in recent periods and on Wednesday it announced it has bought another big name — Vroom & Dreesmann (V&D) — from Cool Investments, as well as buying webstore To be Dressed.

It now owns what was one of the Netherlands’ most iconic physical retail names before its decline in the last decide, while To Be Dressed is a popular fashion site for Gen Z and Millennial shoppers.

The acquisition is supported by Secret Sales backer Sellside Partners and is one of the largest in the company’s history , underscoring its “continued commitment to building Europe’s most connected off-price fashion marketplace”.

The takeover of the two companies means Secret Sales now covers seven European markets, offers over a million unique products, supports 17 million registered users, and powers a growing network of 4,815 premium partner brands.

The company said the V&D deal is “looking to bring a household name back to life via a cutting-edge e-commerce model”.

V&D “will now be powered by Secret Sales’ advanced tech platform, connecting Dutch shoppers to 2,500+ global brands at unbeatable prices”. 

And Secret Sales said “the partnership aims to restore V&D to cultural relevance and make it the #1 destination for fashion in the Netherlands”.

Meanwhile To Be Dressed “brings strong traction with younger fashion-forward customers, helping Secret Sales localise its presence and widen demographic appeal”.

Secret sales is growing rapidly both organically and by acquisition. Since a fundraising deal in 2023 it has acquired Spanish peer dreivip.com (September 2023), Germany-based Dress-For-Less (April 2024), and H&M Group’s Afound business (November 2024).

Significant move

Europe’s fastest-growing marketplace for off-price fashion and beauty said its latest purchase is a “significant move that will strengthen the company’s presence in the Benelux region and accelerate its pan-European growth”.

And it added that it “marks a moment that extends beyond business – it’s an opportunity to bring one of the Netherlands’ most cherished brands back to the forefront. For generations, V&D was the destination where Dutch families shopped, made memories, and shaped traditions. Secret Sales is proud to help shape the next chapter of the V&D story — honouring its legacy while reestablishing it as the most exciting, relevant, and trusted fashion destination in the Netherlands”.

Vroom & Dreesmann was founded during the late 19th century department stores golden age and was rebranded as V&D in 2007. But the general problems of the department stores sector, its late arrival in e-tail, the rise of affordable fast fashion, a period under private equity ownership, high rents and more saw it going into decline and in went under in the middle of the last decade. But it continued as a webstore under new ownership.

Secret Sales said the business is now entering “a new era” under its control and through the UK firm’s “world-class platform, V&D will gain direct access to billions of euros of inventory and over 4,500 of the world’s best fashion and beauty brands. This will position V&D as the leading marketplace for off-price fashion in the Netherlands, offering Dutch consumers an unmatched selection, seamless service, and a local shopping experience that feels both familiar and new. The ambition is simple: to build on V&D’s powerful legacy and grow it into the destination for fashion in the Netherlands once again”.

As mentioned, the company has also acquired popular Dutch fashion site To Be Dressed and “together, V&D and To Be Dressed will offer customers a bigger, better way to shop – broader brands, deeper ranges, more localised assortments, and an easier, faster shopping experience”.

We’re told that under Secret Sales’ ownership, both platforms will retain their “unique identities and brand essence, significantly enhanced by Secret Sales’ advanced technology infrastructure, operational efficiency, and expansive product offerings”.

Chris Griffin, CEO of Secret Sales, said that “V&D isn’t just a brand — it’s part of the Dutch story. It holds a special place in people’s lives, with memories and meaning that stretch across generations. This is a rare opportunity to help V&D evolve into something new, while staying true to everything people loved about it… We see the chance to build on its incredible heritage and to re-establish it as the modern, go-to destination for fashion in the Netherlands.”

And Jonathan Kahn, partner at Cool Investments, added: “We purchased the V&D brand 10 years ago and successfully developed it into an online-only business. This sale to Secret Sales marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. With their scale, platform, and ambition, V&D is now perfectly placed to grow beyond that foundation and reclaim its former glory.”