Sports Direct International, the largest sporting goods retailer in the U.K. and owner of many sports brands including Dunlop and Karrimor, has acquired two British young fashion brands, Firetrap and Full Circle, according to the British magazine Drapers. Bidding against its archrival, JD Sports Fashion, Sports Direct has won the race to buy their wholesale business as well as their online sales platform and their concessions. The brands were the property of World Design & Trade, whose remaining retail operations are being closed down. Sports Direct bought two British fashion retailers in 2011 – USC and Cruise – and added the Hot Tuna brand of lifestyle surfwear a few weeks ago. JD bought two British menswear brands last year, Peter Werth and Cecil Gee, and added recently a young fashion brand, Fly53, to its portfolio.

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