Current Ownership and Parent Company
Lord & Taylor is currently owned by Le Tote Inc., a Canadian apparel rental and retail company. Le Tote acquired the brand and its intellectual property out of bankruptcy proceedings in 2019. The acquisition included the Lord & Taylor name, customer data, and select inventory assets, positioning Le Tote as the primary owner of the historic department store brand today Forbes.
Le Tote operates Lord & Taylor as an online-first brand with a focus on clothing rentals and direct-to-consumer sales. The physical Lord & Taylor flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York was sold separately to Saadia Group, a real estate investment firm, which leases the space to other retailers. This separation means the Lord & Taylor brand and its historic building now have different owners Bloomberg.
Corporate History and Previous Owners
Founding and Early Ownership
Lord & Taylor was founded in 1826 by Samuel Lord and George Washington Taylor as a dry goods store in New York City. The company grew into one of the oldest and most recognized department store chains in the United States. For much of its history, the company remained under the control of the founding families and later became a publicly traded corporation listed on major stock exchanges The New York Times.
Later Corporate Parents
In the 20th century, Lord & Taylor passed through several corporate parents, including May Department Stores and Federated Department Stores, which later became Macy's Inc. The company was spun off and operated independently for periods before being acquired by Hudson's Bay Company, a Canadian retail conglomerate, in 2006. Hudson's Bay Company, also known as The Bay, ran Lord & Taylor as part of its broader North American retail portfolio until the brand filed for bankruptcy in 2019 SEC EDGAR.
Ownership Structure and Business Model Today
Le Tote’s Acquisition and Strategy
Under Le Tote Inc., Lord & Taylor operates as a digitally native brand integrated into a subscription-based clothing rental platform. Le Tote’s ownership structure is private, and the company has focused on revitalizing the Lord & Taylor name through e-commerce and a curated selection of apparel. The strategy leverages Lord & Taylor’s historic brand recognition while aligning with modern retail and rental trends.
Key Facts and Figures
Lord & Taylor had more than 100 years of continuous operation before its bankruptcy filing. The brand’s Fifth Avenue flagship was one of the most iconic retail locations in Manhattan. Today, the primary ownership and operational control rest with Le Tote Inc., while the physical flagship building is managed by Saadia Group as a leased commercial property. The brand now functions primarily as an online retailer and rental service under its new parent company.