Meet the Boohoo billionaires who turned a market stall into a $4.4 billion fashion empire

THIS family business went from a market stall to a $4.4 billion empire by selling $5 dresses to everyone from cash-strapped teenagers to Kylie Jenner.

ONLINE fashion retailer Boohoo.com is one of Britain’s favourite clothing brands — famed for its affordable takes on big trends.

And founder Mahmud Kamani, 52, uses the fortune he has made to fund his family’s enviably lavish lifestyle, The Sun reports.

Nowadays, Mahmud, his wife Aisha and his three sons fly by private jet, holiday in the wealthiest places in the world and own a fleet of expensive cars between them.

But it wasn’t always that way.

Boohoo began in 2006 when fashion wholesaler Mahmud spotted the potential of the internet and switched from selling on his Manchester market stall to selling online.

The company, which produces and sells its own-brand clothing exclusively online, is now worth a whopping £2.6 billion ($4.4 billion) — that’s more than high street giants Debenhams. They also now own LA-based Nasty Gal, giving them a dominant stake in the online fashion world.

Boohoo uploads as many as 120 new pieces to their site every day and on average they sell 50 dresses per minute. Their fast fashion bargains come with a two-week turnaround — from spotting the latest fashion to designing, manufacturing and then selling the piece.

Mahmud worked with his father on a market stall selling handbags. Now he drives a Rolls Royce Phantom worth £350,000 and enjoys a lavish lifestyle of jetsetting, sports cars and designer clothes.

Mahmud and his wife Aisha attended Ascot in July. Aisha is the only family member who doesn't work for the family business but she enjoys its riches nonetheless.

Umar Kamani followed in his father’s footsteps and began his own online retailer Pretty Little Thing. The site is sponsored by huge celebrities like Kylie Jenner and her sister Kourtney Kardashian.

Dad Mahmud Kamani has all of his three sons working within the business and we can only assume they get rather large pay cheques judging by their extravagant lifestyles.

With dresses for as little as £3 ($5) and shoes for £4 ($7), the retailer is a favourite with cash-strapped teenagers and celebrities alike. The likes of Little Mix, Towie’s Amber Dowding and plenty of online fashion bloggers and influencers post snaps in their Boohoo clothes.

Mahmud and his family are a true ‘rags to riches’ story and their now-lavish lifestyle is documented on Instagram by his three sons Adam, Samir and Umar.

Adam and Samir both work for the family business. Umar, however, branched out on his own and started the hugely successful PrettyLittleThing.com, which has A-list celebrity sponsors like Kylie Jenner.

And the family are certainly not shy about flaunting their riches. On his Instagram Umar can be seen standing on top of his Rolls-Royce in sunny LA.

It is reported that Mahmud also drives a Rolls-Royce Phantom costing £350,000 ($593,000). He and his wife, 51-year-old Aisha, were recently spotted in all their formal finery at Royal Ascot.

Adam and his brothers boarded a private jet to Coachella in California earlier this year. And Samir posted a snap of himself on a helicopter heading to superglam St Tropez on the French Riviera.

The family reportedly saw in the new year and celebrated Samir’s 21st birthday at Singapore’s exclusive Marina Bay Sands hotel, where the suites cost just under a jaw-dropping £4000 ($6780) per night.

One thing is for sure, despite naming the company Boohoo, the Kamanis’ fabulous lifestyle leaves little to cry about.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Meet the Boohoo billionaires who turned a market stall into a $4.4 billion fashion empire